Football player Jorginho Frello has released a statement to clarify the “misunderstanding” surrounding an incident involving queer pop star Chappell Roan and his daughter, which sparked online controversy and widespread backlash against the musician.

Earlier in March, former Chelsea footballer Jorginho took to social media to accuse a member of Chappell Roan’s security team of leaving his 11-year-old stepdaughter in tears after she tried to approach the star while having breakfast at a hotel during Lollapalooza weekend in Brazil.

The following day, Catherine Harding, the player’s wife, also posted a video addressing the incident, claiming that Roan is responsible for the people who work for her and act on her behalf.

Following the posts, Roan became the target of an onslaught of online negativity, with many accusing the singer of not appreciating her fans. Roan herself addressed the incident publicly, clarifying that she did not instruct security to intervene and expressing regret that the child was upset.

Almost a month after the first post was shared, ​Jorginho addressed the matter again, releasing a statement on his social media. The player clarified that the incident had been a “misunderstanding” and said he “regrets” the impact his post had on the singer.

“I would like to give an update on what happened during Lolla weekend, as we have been seeing and hearing a lot over the past few weeks and felt it was important to clarify everything now that new information has come to light,” he wrote.

“I made my initial statement in the heat of the moment, after hearing that my child and wife had been approached by an adult male security guard in an intimidating way. I reacted as any father would. My priority is, and always will be, protecting my family, and that is exactly what I did.”

Footballer Jorginho Frello says he “regrets the impact” the security guard situation had on Chappell Roan:

“It was, ultimately, a misunderstanding in that respect, and I am glad to set the record straight. It’s important to me that this is clarified fairly and accurately.” pic.twitter.com/xfnqejpDCz

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) April 13, 2026

“Since then, I have become aware of new information that has changed my understanding of parts of what happened. Chappell Roan made a public statement, reached out privately to Catherine, and our teams also spoke directly,” Jorginho added.

“It became clear that she had no knowledge of what took place at breakfast and had not asked anyone to approach them. She was understanding and sympathetic to what had happened to our child.

“The security guard himself has since confirmed publicly that he was representing another artist at the hotel at the time. While we still do not know what prompted him to approach them, and do not believe an 11-year-old at breakfast could reasonably be seen as any kind of security threat, it is now clear that he was not acting on behalf of Chappell.

“It was, ultimately, a misunderstanding in that respect, and I am glad to set the record straight. It’s important to me that this is clarified fairly and accurately. I regret the impact this situation has had on Chappell Roan, Catherine, Ada, and our family.”

The footballer concluded his statement saying: “Thank you for the support we received during this sensitive moment. I do, however, want to make one thing very clear: I do not support or encourage hate speech or online attacks from any side. Respect, empathy, and humility are values I carry and teach my family every single day. As far as I am concerned, this matter is closed.”