Arguably one of the biggest names in football, Neymar boasts of unparalleled skills and impeccable vision on the field to carve his own niche in the sport. In the era majorly dominated by the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, it's safe to say that Neymar, in his own unique way, has established himself as a high-impact player in football.
The 27-year-old has been the key for Brazil in recent times and his success at Barcelona and, now, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) highlights how crucial Neymar has been for the teams he has represented over the years. But, despite all his prowess and success on the pitch, the recent few weeks has been devastating for the Brazilian forward.
If his run-in with injuries frustrated his fans, Neymar's knack for finding himself in trouble has further tarnished his reputation. Last month, he was seen punching a PSG fan in the face in a video that went viral on the social media. He was, subsequently, handed a three-match ban by the French football authorities, which further saw him getting stripped of his captaincy with Brazil ahead of Copa America.
© Reuters
To make matters worse, Neymar, on Friday, was accused of sexual assault by a young Brazilian woman who alleged that the PSG forward had her at a Paris hotel after they met on social media. The woman filed a complaint against Neymar on 31st May at a Sao Paulo police station, alleging that the rape occurred in Paris last month.
In her complaint, the woman, whose identity has not been revealed, revealed that she got in touch with the Brazilian footballer on social media and they began to exchange messages. She claimed that Neymar invited her to Paris and that one of his associates arranged airplane tickets and a place for her to stay.
The woman said that she arrived in Paris on 15th May and stayed at the Sofitel Paris Arc Du Tromphe hotel. As per the complaint, Neymar came to meet the woman at around 8pm in an apparently intoxicated state. "They began to talk and caress one another, however at a certain point, Neymar became aggressive and, through violence, had sexual relations against the victim's will," the complaint published by UOL and GloboEsporte claimed.
© Instagram/@neymarjr
If the inquiry against the rape allegations wasn't enough, the fact that the police in Rio de Janeiro have opened an investigation to probe Neymar for sharing the intimate photos of the same woman on his widely-followed Instagram handle.
According to media reports, the Cybercrimes Department, on 2nd June, furnished a statement, claiming that they'll look into the "alleged posting of a video by Neymar" on Instagram. Among the materials released were the messages Neymar exchanged with the alleged victim between March and May, including her intimate photos.
© Reuters
According to the Brazilian legal system, a person can attract a prison sentence for one to five years if found guilty of offering, sharing, selling, distributing or publishing images and/or videos with sexual content without the consent of the victim. In such offences, the prison sentence can also be increased if the crime is motivated by revenge or humiliation after a sexual relationship.
While the investigation is underway and it's a tad too early to jump to conclusions, the recent developments surely add to the troubles of Neymar. And, for someone who is often looked upon as a role model for the youth, the rape case is bound to affect the public image and morale of Neymar who'll be seen in action, donning the Brazilian jersey, at Copa America which is slated to begin from 15th June.

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