Former Chelsea coach, Avram Grant has been accused of sexual harassment by multiple women in an investigation broadcast on Israeli TV on Sunday.
Grant, 66, who also had spells in charge of Portsmouth, West Ham and the Israel national team, was accused of using his prominent position to try and coerce several women into sexual relations.
As reported by The Times of Israel, Israeli investigative show Exposure presented nearly an hour of testimonies from several women, describing Grant as a “man who offered to advance the careers of young women in exchange for sex, pressuring them until they gave in.”
In addition, in the programme presented by male journalist Haim Etgar, several women said Grant made sexual remarks to them while in a professional capacity, and they also said his behaviour was an open secret in the industry.
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One woman told of being invited to Grant’s apartment in Tel Aviv in June 2020 with an offer to help her find work, before he asked her to take off her clothes and refused to let her leave.
The woman, who was 22 at the time, said: “He told me, “Make yourself comfortable, take off your clothes.” I thought he was joking. I was sitting far away from him, on the edge of the couch. He asked me to come closer and tried to hug me, really grabbed me and did not let go.
“I felt uncomfortable, he put his hand on my thigh, and I remember immediately moving his hand. After a few seconds of talking, he grabbed me by the neck, as if choking me, turned my head to him, and tried to kiss me by force.”
The woman said she ‘didn’t have the courage to say no to him’ when he pressured her to stay overnight, before Grant took her hand and placed it on his crotch – when she then went to the bathroom and started crying.
She then awoke, after sleeping in a separate bedroom, with Grant holding his exposed penis over her head.
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Later, she confronted him over his actions and played voice notes from Grant when he initially appeared to acknowledge what he was accused of – but then portrayed the evening as consensual.
He then said: “I don’t discuss my private affairs with anybody, what I did with you or what I do with someone else.”
Several women told of behaviour from Grant where he would offer to assist them in their careers starting out, before making inappropriate comments and sending harassing messages over a number of years.
Many testifying were well-known journalists whose voices were doctored and identities hidden, as they were afraid of the consequences if their identities became public.
Grant, in response, did not deny the accusations and insisted any harm he had caused was unintentional, also apologising ‘from the bottom of my heart.’
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“In my life, both in a personal and professional capacity, I have always sought, above and beyond any successes or achievements, to prioritise staying a human being and to respect every woman or man, whoever they may be,” he said.
“I am a people person, a man of friendships. And over the years I have maintained relationships with women. In all these relationships I have tried very hard to treat them with respect and friendship and I never intended to behave unfairly or in any way harm any woman.
“Anyone who has felt uncomfortable or hurt by me, I regret it and apologise from the bottom of my heart.”
Another woman, a well-known local Israeli model as described by presenter Etgar, detailed how she was launching her international career, when she flew to England to meet Grant after he offered to help her.