Mohamed Al Fayed accused of sexually assaulting former Fulham Ladies captain Ronnie Gibbons

A former Fulham Women captain has accused Mohamed Al Fayed of sexually assaulting her at Harrods.

Ronnie Gibbons was 20 when the alleged incident occurred during the 2000-2001 season.

Gibbons was captain of what was then called Fulham Ladies, the first professional team in English football, when she says Al Fayed, the club’s billionaire owner who died last year aged 94, tried to forcibly kiss her and groped her in a room above the club. Knightsbridge department store.

“I just felt a huge responsibility on my shoulders because we had just turned pro,” Gibbons told The Athletic in an interview. “Everything internally was screaming at me, ‘Ronnie, you have to go’, but I couldn’t because I would be blamed for all these women losing their jobs and Fulham Ladies going to pieces.

“I couldn’t let anything happen to me, but at the same time I couldn’t just run for the hills, which is what I wanted to do.”

It is the latest in a series of historic allegations to emerge. The Metropolitan Police has announced it is investigating 40 new allegations against Al Fayed and others between 1979 and 2013, including rape and sexual assault.

The 40 new charges relate to 40 alleged victims and add to those that police were aware of before the BBC investigation and documentary, Scotland Yard said.

The force said that while it would not be possible to bring criminal charges against the deceased Al Fayed, it would “continue to investigate whether other individuals could be prosecuted for criminal offences”.

The new claims of sexual harassment, assault and rape come in the weeks following the broadcaster’s broadcast Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods documentary.

A spokesperson for Justice for Harrods Survivors, made up of lawyers Dean Armstrong KC, Bruce Drummond, Maria Mulla and Gloria Allred, previously said it “now has 71 clients and is processing a further 220 enquiries”.

Fulham said: “The Club is deeply concerned by the experiences shared today by former women’s team captain Ronnie Gibbons. She has our deepest empathy and support.

“We continue to emphasize our absolute condemnation of abuse in all forms. We continue to determine whether anyone at the Club is or may have been influenced in any way by Mohamed Al Fayed, as detailed in recent reports.

“Should anyone wish to share any information or experiences regarding this matter, we urge them to contact police or the club at [email protected].”

Harrods said in a statement: “We are completely shocked by the allegations of abuse committed by Mohamed Al Fayed. These were the actions of an individual who intended to abuse his power wherever he operated, and we condemn them in the strongest terms. We also acknowledge the abandonment of his victims during this time and for this we sincerely apologize.”