LONDON: Former Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy won a case against the club on Wednesday for most of over 11 million pounds ($14 million) in wages withheld after he was charged with sexual offenses, of which he was later cleared.
The France international filed a claim against Manchester City last year. The Premier League club stopped paying him in September 2021, shortly after he was charged with sexual offenses, until the end of his contract in June 2023.
Mendy was acquitted of six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in January 2023, following a trial at Chester Crown Court. He was found not guilty of one count of rape and one of attempted rape after a retrial.
The 30-year-old argued City unlawfully deducted wages that he was due under his contract, saying in a witness statement that he had been promised he would be paid after he was cleared.
City’s lawyers, however, said Mendy was not paid because he was not able to perform his duties as he was held in custody before his trial for breaching his bail conditions.
“Mr Mendy is entitled to recover some, but not all, of the sums claimed,” Judge Joanne Dunlop said in a written ruling on Wednesday.
Manchester City did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Mendy said in a statement posted on X: “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 honorable 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.”
Dunlop said in her ruling that Manchester City was entitled to withhold Mendy’s pay for two periods he spent in custody, covering about five months of the 22-month period of his claim.
When Mendy was not in custody, Dunlop found, he was “ready and willing to work” and prevented from doing so by his suspension by the Football Association and bail conditions “which were unavoidable or involuntary on his part.”
Mendy joined City from AS Monaco in 2017 for a fee of around 52 million pounds, on an annual salary of 6 million pounds.
He signed for French club Lorient, currently in Ligue 2, shortly after his retrial.
Benjamin Mendy wins most of $14m unpaid wages case against Manchester City
https://arab.news/ccwcr
Benjamin Mendy wins most of $14m unpaid wages case against Manchester City
- The France international filed a claim against Manchester City last year
- The 30-year-old argued City unlawfully deducted wages that he was due under his contract
Forever Young to defend Saudi Cup crown from stall 6
- Trainer Yoshito Yahagi happy with position for 2025 hero at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Saturday
RIYADH: Forever Young (JPN) will emerge from gate six when bidding to defend his group one $20-million Saudi Cup crown at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Saturday.
The reigning champion was the penultimate horse to be given a barrier and only five or six remained when Japanese trainer Yoshito Yahagi picked out the starting berth.
“I think six is a good number,” Yahagi said. “We don’t have to change anything with tactics. Honestly, I feel a lot of pressure on my shoulders bringing a defending champion but Forever Young doesn’t feel any pressure at all.”
American Hall of Famer Bob Baffert is in Riyadh and Flavien Prat will guide Nysos (US) from gate 12, while Irad Ortiz Jr. and Nevada Beach (US) have drawn gate seven.
“I’d rather be on the outside than the inside,” Baffert said after drawing the wide gate for Nysos.
“As long as the horse shows up that is more important. I think he is a really good horse and has always shown brilliance, he’s a trier and knows where the wire is. From the outside he will have a clear run.”
“Gate seven is good for Nevada Beach too. We just didn’t want to be in the one-hole,” Baffert added.
Last year’s fifth-place finisher Rattle N Roll (US) raced from seven on that occasion but this time around Joel Rosario will steer Kenny McPeek’s 6-year-old from stall 11.
Kyoko Maekawa drew stall one for Sunrise Zipangu (JPN) who will be ridden by Oisin Murphy. The Japan Racing Association’s first female trainer was Yahagi’s assistant in Saudi Arabia when Panthalassa (JPN) won The Saudi Cup from stall one in 2023.
Noriyuki Hori’s Luxor Cafe (US) has a wider starting point in barrier 10.
Leading local contender Mhally (GB) will break from stall 13. “We are very happy with that draw, we wanted something on the outside,” said Sheikh Faisal Al-Sabah, son of owner Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Al-Sabah.
“Hopefully he proves himself on Saturday.”
Banishing (US) was described as a horse with “a heart of gold” by trainer David Jacobson’s son, Zachary, and the American raider will break from stall three, while the Brad Cox-trained Bishops Bay (US) will come from nine.
The Saad Aljenade-trained Star Of Wonder (US) will start from the same stall five that Emblem Road (US) won the race, while his stable companion Haqeet (US) is inside that in box two under Mickael Barzalona.
Ryan Moore is a notable jockey booking for the Sami Alharabi-trained Ameerat Alzamaan (GB) who breaks from four.
Thundersquall (GB) will start from the widest draw of all in 14 for trainer Muteb Almulawah and jockey Danny Tudhope, while Tumbarumba (US) and James Doyle will begin the richest race in the world from eight for Hamad Al-Jehani and Wathnan Racing.
