A former captain of Fulham Women has accused Mohamed Al Fayed of sexually assaulting her at Harrods. Ronnie Gibbons was 20 when the alleged incident occurred during the 2000-01 season.

The former captain of Fulham's women’s team, Ronnie Gibbons, says she was “groped” on two occasions by the late Mohamed Al Fayed when he owned the club.

Former Fulham Ladies captain Ronnie Gibbons has alleged she was twice sexually assaulted by the club’s late owner Mohamed Al Fayed. Gibbons, who skippered Fulham in the 2000-01 season, alleged Al Fayed – chairman of the west London club between 1997 and 2013 – assaulted her in an office at the Harrods department store he owned in Knightsbridge.

A BBC documentary said the Egyptian billionaire, who died last year, had sexually abused female staff at Harrods in London and had threatened them if they tried to complain.

The 2000-01 season should have been the best to date of the defender’s career, earning money for playing the game she loved with Fulham Ladies and representing the Republic of Ireland at international level.

Former Fulham women's captain Ronnie Gibbons has alleged she was twice sexually assaulted by the club's late owner Mohamed Al Fayed, who was also the boss of Harrods.