London, United Kingdom - Footballer Didier
Drogba said Thursday he would take legal
action against Britain's Daily Mail newspaper
after it published allegations that most of the
money raised by his charity in Britain was not
going to good causes.
The newspaper reported that less than one
percent of over £1.7 million (2.1 million euros,
$2.4 million) raised by Drogba's charity in the
past five years had gone to help children in
the former Chelsea star's homeland of Ivory
Coast.
It claimed that most of the donations to the
Didier Drogba Foundation had been spent on
glitzy events for celebrity supporters or was
sitting untouched in bank accounts.
Only £14,115 of the cash raised in Britain was
reportedly spent on good causes, the paper
said.
But Drogba -- currently under contract with
Canadian Major League Soccer team Montreal
Impact -- hit back, saying the report had
caused an "untold amount of damage".
"Despite sending legal letters and 67 pages
worth of documents advising the Daily Mail
that their information was factually incorrect
and libellous, they have decided to ignore the
facts so I am issuing legal proceedings
against them today," the footballer said in a
statement issued by his publicist in London.
"There is no fraud, no corruption, no
mismanagement, no lies, no impropriety."
The Charity Commission, Britain's official
charities watchdog, confirmed it would
investigate the claims after being contacted
by the Mail, saying it had "serious regulatory
concerns".
"The commission has concerns about the
administration of the charity and the oversight
provided by trustees, all of whom appear to
live abroad, as well as allegations that the
charity has provided misleading information to
donors and the public," chief operating officer
David Holdsworth said.
"Further, the charity has raised and
accumulated significant sums of money that
have not yet been spent and further
information is required over the plans to
spend those funds," he added.
Drogba said Thursday he would take legal
action against Britain's Daily Mail newspaper
after it published allegations that most of the
money raised by his charity in Britain was not
going to good causes.
The newspaper reported that less than one
percent of over £1.7 million (2.1 million euros,
$2.4 million) raised by Drogba's charity in the
past five years had gone to help children in
the former Chelsea star's homeland of Ivory
Coast.
It claimed that most of the donations to the
Didier Drogba Foundation had been spent on
glitzy events for celebrity supporters or was
sitting untouched in bank accounts.
Only £14,115 of the cash raised in Britain was
reportedly spent on good causes, the paper
said.
But Drogba -- currently under contract with
Canadian Major League Soccer team Montreal
Impact -- hit back, saying the report had
caused an "untold amount of damage".
"Despite sending legal letters and 67 pages
worth of documents advising the Daily Mail
that their information was factually incorrect
and libellous, they have decided to ignore the
facts so I am issuing legal proceedings
against them today," the footballer said in a
statement issued by his publicist in London.
"There is no fraud, no corruption, no
mismanagement, no lies, no impropriety."
The Charity Commission, Britain's official
charities watchdog, confirmed it would
investigate the claims after being contacted
by the Mail, saying it had "serious regulatory
concerns".
"The commission has concerns about the
administration of the charity and the oversight
provided by trustees, all of whom appear to
live abroad, as well as allegations that the
charity has provided misleading information to
donors and the public," chief operating officer
David Holdsworth said.
"Further, the charity has raised and
accumulated significant sums of money that
have not yet been spent and further
information is required over the plans to
spend those funds," he added.
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