Benjamin Mendy
### Benjamin Mendy on His Financial Struggles and Support from Friends
In a written witness statement reflecting on his financial difficulties after his wages were withheld,
Benjamin Mendy said”I struggled to pay my child support, I felt awful. Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez all lent me money to help me try and pay my legal fees and support my family.”
### Benjamin Mendy on Contemplating Manchester City’s Actions
Addressing what he perceived as unfair treatment by Manchester City,
Benjamin Mendy said “The difference between me and the other Manchester City players is that I was the one that was falsely accused of rape and publicly humiliated. I struggled to pay my child support, I felt awful.”
### Benjamin Mendy on Awaiting Justice and Future Hope
Expressing his relief and future aspirations after the long legal battle,
Benjamin Mendy said “Having had to wait for three years for my wages, I am delighted with the decision and sincerely hope that the club will now do the honourable thing and pay the outstanding amounts, as well as the other amounts promised to me under the contract, without further delay, so I can finally put this difficult part of my life behind me.”
### Judge Dunlop’s Perspective on the Employment Tribunal Case
Discussing the conflicting viewpoints of the case,
Judge Dunlop remarked: “To a degree, both sides presented arguments which went to the question of whether or not Mr Mendy deserves to be paid the wages that Manchester City chose to withhold from him. In the context of Mr Mendy’s position, he is an innocent man whose career has been ruined, and life blighted, by false sexual allegations and that the football club which brought him to this country effectively abandoned him in his hour of need.”
Furthermore, Judge Dunlop acknowledged the contradiction in the player’s partying lifestyle and the club’s stance
Judge Dunlop said “Manchester City’s position is that Mr Mendy largely brought his troubles upon himself and ignored sensible advice and warning after warning in his self-destructive pursuit of his chosen lifestyle. Mr Mendy was leaving himself open to the risk that some of them would be under 18′.”
### Conclusion of the Tribunal’s Rulings
Judge Dunlop concluded on Mendy’s readiness to work, stating: “I found that Mr Mendy was ‘ready and willing’ to work during the non-custody periods, and was prevented from doing so by impediments (the FA suspension and bail conditions) which were unavoidable or involuntary on his part.”
