Montpellier issue strong response to Mary Fowler racist gift claims

Montpellier have insisted there is no evidence to back claims by Mary Fowler that she and Ashleigh Weerden were given bananas by a former teammate, upon their departures from the French club in 2022.

The Australian international made the allegations in her recently released autobiography titled ‘Bloom’.

Montpellier discovered the accusations on Wednesday and have today issued a strong response against Fowler’s claims.

Montpellier’s response to Mary Fowler’s claims

In a statement on their website, Montpellier described their “amazement” at discovering the claims made by their former player Mary Fowler.

They wrote: “The MHSC yesterday discovered with amazement a number of accusations made by Mary Fowler, one of its former players, in her autobiography. Some of them are particularly serious and the resulting simplification that paints the club as racist is unacceptable.”

Montpellier also explained why Fowler and Weerden did not receive flowers after the club’s final home game of the 2021-22 season.

The French club said that two departing players who were leaving the club at the end of their contracts were honoured with a bouquet of flowers after their clash with Bordeaux on June 1st, 2022.

They claimed that both Fowler and Weerden were still contracted with the club at the time until June 30th 2023 and “it would therefore have been rather tactless for the club to offer a parting gift”.

Montpellier also claimed that there was “no evidence” that a former teammate gave Fowler and Weerden bananas, and added that the club is against “all forms of discrimination”.

They wrote: “Concerning the events that would have taken place behind closed doors in the locker room at the end of the match, after consulting the people present that day, there is no evidence to corroborate her claims or even to identify the supposed perpetrator.

“If facts of this nature had been reported and proven, the club would have taken all the necessary measures as soon as they were reported. The subject of racism is a serious one that cannot be exploited. The club would like to reiterate its daily commitment to the fight against all forms of discrimination.”

What did Fowler say in her autobiography?

Fowler, in a chapter titled ‘Not so great days’ in her autobiography, recalled a post-match presentation for departing players after her final home game.

She claimed that while several departing players were given flowers during an on-pitch ceremony, she and Weerden were given bananas by a former teammate in the dressing room.

The 23-year-old wrote: “When we got inside the changing room, some of our teammates questioned why we hadn’t received any flowers … a few of the girls laughed about it and then one of the other players came over and handed my friend and me some bananas.

“Not receiving flowers was one thing, but as two of only six black girls in the squad, receiving bananas wasn’t something I could laugh off and forget about.

“Was it an accident? Was it the only thing in the dressing room she could give us? Did she mean well by it? I’ve tried to justify it in many different ways.”

Fowler revealed she has recently revisited the incident with Weerden, but wishes she did more at the time.

Both Fowler and Weerden left the club in the summer of 2022. Fowler joined Manchester City, while Weerden, who now plays for Crystal Palace, joined Ajax.