Brazil and Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar has denied an allegation he raped a woman in a Paris hotel.
A Sao Paulo state official confirmed to Omnisport that a charge has been brought against Neymar by an unidentified woman following an incident in the French capital on May 15.
The alleged victim took her case to a police station in Sao Paulo that specialises in women's defence on May 31.
"I'm being charged with rape," Neymar, who is preparing for the Copa America with Brazil, said in an Instagram video. "It is a heavy word, something very strong, but it is what is happening at the moment. I was taken by surprise. It was bad and sad to hear that. [Anyone] who knows me, knows my character and my nature, [knows I] would never do anything like that.
"I was exposed to this and I am here to face the situation because any news with my name causes a lot of noise and everybody keeps wanting me to answer."
The woman claims she met Neymar after exchanging messages on Instagram and a friend of the player arranged for her to travel to France.
It is further alleged that she met the player, who arrived drunk at around 20:00 local time (18:00 GMT), at the Sofitel Paris Arc Du Triomphe where he later had non-consensual sex with her.
In the woman's testimony, she says she returned to Brazil on May 17 but was too emotionally shaken to report the incident until now.
