The woman wearing the costume, whose identity is withheld, accused the Manchester club of covering up for the Norwegian striker
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Hours before Manchester City's crucial match against Bournemouth in the FA Cup quarter-finals, the Citizen club was involved in an unusual controversy involving the team's star, Erling Haaland, and the club's mascot, Moonbeam, who accused the Norwegian forward of assault.
The British newspaper The Sun featured the news on the front page of its Saturday edition. According to the outlet, two unintentional blows from Haaland to the back of the head of the woman wearing the mascot costume allegedly caused a "suspected whiplash and concussion." The incident occurred before the 1-0 victory over Southampton last October in the Premier League.
La portada de The Sun
"I was quite upset and crying, my head was throbbing, and I think I was in shock. Later I realized he had come from behind and hit me on the head and then leaned on me", the complainant recounted in statements to the mentioned newspaper, whose information was also replicated by other British media such as the Daily Mail and The Telegraph.
After receiving the two blows to the nape while posing for a photograph, the woman asked someone around her what had happened, as she initially thought it was the impact of a ball: "What the hell was that that hit me?" "He said, 'It was Erling. He hit you from behind'", she added.
Haaland le habría provocado una conmoción cerebral a la mujer que usa el disfraz
In her testimony, the complainant explained that she suffered from vomiting and neck and head pain before being evaluated the next day by Manchester City's first team doctor, who recommended she go to Salford Royal hospital. At the medical center, her symptoms were confirmed, although a CT scan did not detect any injury. Before undergoing the study, she commented that she had informed the club's head of welfare about what happened, who took the situation lightly: "At least you can say Erling Haaland hit you".
The woman, who has decided to keep her identity confidential, filed an assault complaint with the Police and accused Manchester City of "cover-up" after an internal investigation exonerated Haaland.
The process was carried out by the club's head of health and safety, Paul Kenyon, who reviewed the security camera footage. "I asked if anyone had spoken to Erling and he said: 'No, they don't want to distract him'. I felt offended because I was the one who was hurt, but they were asking me all the questions". Additionally, she stated that if Haaland had been informed of the situation, he probably would have apologized: "I'm sure Erling would have apologized if he had been given the chance. But they just wanted to sweep it under the rug", she claimed.
La mascota acusa al club de encubrir al noruego
The club's final report concluded that the images showed the forward only "brushed" Moonbeam: "Erling Haaland always gives a gentle pat on the back or head of Moonbeam as acknowledgment". Finally, the judicial complaint concluded with Greater Manchester Police determining that Haaland "had not acted with malice", according to The Sun.
Meanwhile, a Manchester City spokesperson attempted to close the controversy: "Manchester City refutes the complaint made in this regard. The club thoroughly investigated and found that none of the evidence, including video footage, supported the claim that an injury had been sustained in the manner alleged. We are also aware that a complaint was made to Greater Manchester Police and no further action was taken by them either".
The temporary employee had started working at Manchester City last June and assumed the role of the mascot on match days, earning around 100 pounds (129 dollars) per shift. To renew her contract, she had to reapply, but she was rejected after an interview in December: "I have never received complaints from any manager about my work before. They said they didn't feel I had performed in the interviews at 100% of what I normally do".
