Cape Verde captain in the World Cup is investigated on suspicion of rape

The captain of the Cape Verde team, Ryan Mendes, is being investigated by the New Zealand police over a rape allegation, according to information from the New Zealand Herald and other local outlets.

According to publications, the 36-year-old player is accused of raping a Brazilian woman in March. The alleged victim had been hired to work with the Cape Verdean national team during a FIFA event and reported to authorities that Mendes invaded his room before committing sexual violence.

To date, the attacker has not been formally charged with any crime.

New Zealand police confirmed that the investigation remains ongoing. When contacted by The Athletic, the Cape Verde Football Federation did not respond to requests for comment.

In a note sent to The Athletic, FIFA stated that it treats any report of misconduct extremely seriously.

"FIFA takes any allegations of misconduct extremely seriously and has a clear process for anyone in football who wishes to report an incident," it said.

The organization added that, as a general rule, its independent judicial bodies do not comment on allegations received or confirm whether investigations are ongoing. According to FIFA, any information will only be released when these bodies consider it appropriate.

The entity also confirmed that it is in contact with New Zealand authorities, but stated that it will not make any further comments at this time.

Ryan Mendes started all three of Cape Verde's games in the group stage of the World Cup. He holds the record for appearances for the country's national team, with 101 games, as well as being the top scorer in the team's history, with 22 goals.

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Source: CNN