Cape Verde captain Ryan Mendes cleared of rape allegation as woman charged with false statement

New Zealand police have dismissed a rape allegation against Cape Verde captain Ryan Mendes and charged the accuser with making a false statement.

New Zealand police have dismissed a rape allegation against Cape Verde football captain Ryan Mendes and charged the accuser with making a false statement. Detective Inspector Scott Beard said the claim that a sexual assault occurred at a central Auckland hotel in March had not been substantiated.

A 40-year-old woman has been charged under New Zealand's Crimes Act with making a false statement and is expected to appear in court next week.

The incident was alleged to have occurred hours after Cape Verde played Chile in a friendly match in Auckland, won 4-2 by Chile. Mendes' lawyer Karl Trotter said the allegation had resulted in his client facing intense international media speculation, with the subject arising at almost every media conference Mendes attended during Cape Verde's World Cup qualification campaign.

Trotter told the New Zealand Herald that Mendes was "thrilled to finally be able to get this behind him" and regards it as "a complete vindication."