Jorginho withdraws criticism of Chappell Roan over hotel incident
Former Chelsea and Arsenal midfielder Jorginho has withdrawn his earlier criticism of pop singer Chappell Roan, clarifying that she was not involved in an incident that upset his stepdaughter.
The 34-year-old Italy international had previously claimed on social media that a member of Roan’s security team confronted his wife, Catherine Harding, and her 11-year-old daughter Ada during breakfast at a hotel in São Paulo, Brazil. The situation reportedly left the child in tears after she recognised the singer.
However, in a new statement, Jorginho confirmed that the security guard involved was not connected to Roan. According to him, further information revealed that the individual was representing another artist staying at the hotel at the time.
Jorginho explained that the situation unfolded based on the information available to his family at the time, but subsequent clarification helped correct the misunderstanding. He noted that the guard has since publicly confirmed he was not working for Roan.
The footballer also acknowledged that the singer had reached out privately to his partner and responded publicly with sympathy. Roan had earlier expressed that she was “sad for the mother and child” while maintaining she had no knowledge of the incident and that it did not involve her personal security.
“It became clear that she had no knowledge of what took place,” Jorginho said, adding that she showed understanding toward the situation involving his child.
He admitted that while the incident did occur, it was ultimately a misunderstanding regarding responsibility. Jorginho also expressed regret over the impact the situation had on all parties involved, including Roan, his family, and those connected to the incident.
The case had drawn significant attention online and in Brazil, even prompting public reactions from local officials. Jorginho has since urged against online attacks, stating that he does not support hate speech from any side.
