A proficient lip-reader expressed ’97 percent confidence’ that Jude Bellingham uttered the word ‘rapist’ during a heated confrontation with Mason Greenwood.
In Thursday’s La Liga game between Real Madrid and Getafe, Bellingham and Greenwood faced each other on opposing sides for the first time since their transfers to Spain last summer.
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In August, Greenwood departed Manchester United to join Getafe on a season-long loan, prompted by an internal club inquiry into his conduct.
In January 2022, the striker faced charges of attempted rape, assault, and coercive behavior, but all accusations were dismissed by February 2023.
Faced with significant fan opposition, United chose not to reintegrate him into their squad, signaling that the 22-year-old is unlikely to play for the club again.
In Thursday’s game, Bellingham, who quickly gained popularity in Spain after his £90 million transfer from Borussia Dortmund, delivered a robust tackle on Greenwood near the touchline, causing the ball to go out of play.
Video circulating on social media captured Bellingham mouthing a two-syllable word toward Greenwood after the incident, with fans speculating that he said ‘rapist.’
ALWAYS RESPECTED JUDE BELLINGHAM BUT YOU CAN'T DO THIS MAN????
I WISH HE SAID SOMEOTHER WORD????pic.twitter.com/rxnyVAmEvA— Catenaccio (@hey_manunited) February 2, 2024
Despite the absence of audio capturing Bellingham’s comment, expert witness and forensic lip-reader Jeremy Freeman identified with near-certainty what was communicated.
He told the Daily Mail: ‘After carefully analysing the clip, I am 97 per cent confident that the spoken word is “rapist”, particularly when considering the context in which it was used.
‘The visual cues of the lips indicate the presence of the ‘R’ and ‘P’ sounds, and the word appears to end sharply.
‘Additionally, the speaker seems to have a pronounced Brummie accent, which I factored into my interpretation,’ Freeman added.
‘Given the clarity of these visual markers and the absence of any viable alternative interpretation, I am quite certain of this conclusion.’
After the incident, Getafe has formally asked the La Liga delegate present at Thursday’s match to include Bellingham’s alleged remarks in the referee’s official report, potentially triggering an investigation.
If charged and proven guilty by La Liga, the 20-year-old Bellingham could face a possible suspension. The decision on whether officials will take action is currently uncertain.
