Belgian footballer Stephane Omeonga, known for his stints with Genoa, Avellino, and Pescara, has made serious allegations against Italian police, claiming he was subjected to brutality during an incident at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport on Christmas Day. The midfielder, who currently plays for Bnei Sakhnin in Israel, posted a video on social media detailing his experience.
According to Omeonga, he was forcibly removed from a flight bound for Tel Aviv after being informed by an airline steward that there was an issue with his travel documents. He stated, “I am a footballer, a Belgian citizen,” but claims that the police ignored his explanations. He described a harrowing encounter where he was thrown to the ground and physically assaulted by officers. “They threw me to the ground, beat me, and one of them pressed his knee against my head,” Omeonga recounted. He further alleged that after being taken away in a police car, he was left in a holding room without food or water for several hours.
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Omeonga expressed his outrage over the treatment he received, stating, “After my release, I learned that a police officer had filed a complaint against me for injuries caused during the arrest, but I was handcuffed. I have yet to receive any justification for my arrest. As a human being and as a father, I do not tolerate any form of discrimination.”
In response to Omeonga’s accusations, police sources indicated that the intervention was made because Omeonga was reportedly on Israel’s blacklist and therefore not allowed entry into the country. The police clarified that their actions were taken at the request of the airport head and the airline’s commander after approximately 40 minutes of mediation. Following the incident, Omeonga has been charged with resisting arrest and causing injury to an officer.
