Jorginho withdraws criticism of Chappell Roan

Jorginho, a former Chelsea and Arsenal player, has now clarified that Chappell Roan was not implicated in an event where a security guard upset his daughter during a breakfast meeting at a hotel in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The 34-year-old Italy international previously accused a Roan staffer of confronting his wife, Catherine Harding, and their 11-year-old daughter Ada after the child recognized the pop star.

Jorginho has since confirmed the security guard was not affiliated with Roan and that the matter is resolved. In a new Instagram post, the midfielder, who holds dual Brazilian citizenship and currently plays for Flamengo in Rio de Janeiro, stated, ‘the situation did occur as described’ and that ‘we acted on information that was available to us.’ He noted that the security guard in question ‘confirmed publicly that he was representing another artist at the hotel at the time.’

“Roan made a public statement, contacted Catherine privately, and our teams engaged directly,” said Jorginho. “It became clear that she had no knowledge of what took place at breakfast and had not asked anyone to approach them. She was understanding and sympathetic to what happened to our child.”

Roan replied, expressing sorrow for the mother and child, stating they ‘did not deserve that,’ but clarified she was unaware of the event and it wasn’t related to her own security team. Jorginho also emphasized his stance against hate speech and online attacks from any direction, adding that he will always stand up for his family while recognizing when initial impressions may not align with the truth.

The event sparked widespread media coverage in Brazil, where Rio de Janeiro’s mayor, Eduardo Cavaliere, announced plans to restrict Roan’s performances in the city. To stay updated, follow your club with BBC Sport and listen to the latest Football Daily podcast. Football news delivered straight to your phone is also available.