Manchester City soccer player Benjamin Mendy was charged in England on Thursday with four counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.
The charges are related to "three complainants over the age of 16 and are alleged to have taken place between October 2020 and August 2021," the Cheshire Constabulary police department said in a news release.
Mendy’s agent did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking comment.
Mendy, who is French and lives in the village of Prestbury in Cheshire, was taken into custody and is scheduled to appear in court Friday. It's not clear if he has obtained an attorney.
The 27-year-old athlete is a defender for Manchester City. The team said Thursday that he was suspended pending an investigation.
"The matter is subject to a legal process and the Club is therefore unable to make further comment until that process is complete," the team said in a statement.