Rape case mix-up is racism, suggests angry Chelsea goalkeeper Mendy
Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy has taken to social media to complain about his image being incorrectly used in relation to the ongoing developments in Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy's rape case.
Benjamin Mendy has been in custody since August, when he was suspended by his club and charged with four counts of rape plus another of sexual assault.
This week, he was hit with another two counts of rape related to alleged attacks in Macclesfield, Cheshire, in July and August.
READ MORE: World Cup winner Mendy facing SIX counts of rape after prosecutors add charges
The story made news around the sports world, and several media outlets mistakenly used Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy's image on articles and social media posts related to the developments.
As his cousin and Real Madrid left-back Ferland Mendy was also used to wrongly compliment articles on the alleged crimes, Edouard has been forced to speak out and said the use of their photos was "highly symbolic".
Edouard Mendy and Ferland Mendy criticising media outlets for illustrating articles about Benjamin Mendy using pictures of them: pic.twitter.com/xbnIfqrWcn
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) November 17, 2021
"[It's] sad to see that in 2021, in France as well as in England, for some, black people have neither names nor distinct faces," the Champions League winner wrote on Instagram.
"These 'mistakes' of photos appear anecdotal, but actually they are quite the opposite, they are highly symbolic.
"It's not that complicated to differentiate two faces, especially when the football jersey is of valuable help!" he finished, as Ferland Mendy shared the story on Twitter and thanked his relative.
Merci Edouard Mendy! Nous sommes en 2021 😔😔😔! STOP 💪🏿🛑✋🏿Ça prendra du temps mais vous allez finir par nous respecter! Que vous le vouliez ou non 😡😡😡! pic.twitter.com/sg52f2MbyB
— Ferland Mendy (@ferland_mendy) November 17, 2021
Benjamin Mendy appeared via video link at Stockport Magistrates Court on Wednesday to answer to the latest charges alongside Louis Saha Matturie.
Originally from Sierra Leone, 40-year-old Saha is also facing six rape charges in total with both men set to go on trial on January 24 next year.
Mendy was dressed in a white jumper at the hearing and asked to confirm both his age, 27, and date of birth before he and Saha were told they must appear at Chester Crown Court on Thursday.
No bail applications were made by their legal representatives, with Mendy refused bail for a third time in October when trying to obtain release from HMP Altcourse.
But at a previous hearing at the same magistrates' court, Benjamin Mendy's solicitor Christopher Stables said that his client denies the allegations.
Bought from Monaco in 2017 for a fee of £52 million ($70 million), Benjamin Mendy has made just 50 appearances across five seasons for City but has won the Premier League three times and the League Cup twice, while also a Champions League runner-up to Edouard Mendy's Chelsea.
