2024-02-01T14:40:16+00:00
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/ Against the backdrop of accusations by two women of assaulting them, the French Reims winger, Junya Ito, left the Japanese national team participating in the Asian Football Cup currently being held in Qatar.
The Japanese Football Association said in a statement that Ito, who denies the women’s allegations, left the team “for his own mental and physical safety,” adding that there were different accounts of the incident.
Japanese police announced on Thursday that they had opened an investigation into Ito, after local media reports said that two women had accused him of sexual assault, which he denies.
“We have received a criminal complaint against him (Ito) and have opened an investigation,” a police spokesman in Osaka told AFP.
Eto’o (30 years old) was selected in the final list that defeated Bahrain 3-1 on Wednesday in the round of 16, but he remained on the bench.
In turn, Reins said in a statement that it takes the allegations seriously but that Eto’o “remains a player” of the team, adding: “The human qualities and behavior of the Japanese striker have never been in doubt by the club.”