Scandal in Brazil: Player sexually assaulted as women's team bus is attacked

Abelhas Rainhas, a women's football team in Brazil, were attacked and one member of the squad was sexually assaulted on the team bus as they were preparing to leave a stadium.

Having played a regional league game against Fluminense in the north-eastern state of Piaui, Abelhas Rainhas' bus was boarded as it was readying to leave the Estadio Lindolfo Monteiro by two individuals armed with knives.

According to coach Begao Silva, the president of the club had her purse stolen and one of the players on board was sexually assaulted after the driver had exited the bus as demanded by the culprits.

Military police were called and scared the attackers away by firing shots into the air, but no arrests were made. They dropped the president's bag as they looked to flee the scene.

"It was a regrettable situation," Silva commented.

"It was a shame. It's unfortunate that it happened.

"We don't all go out [to the bus] together. The federation pressure us to leave the dressing room quickly. If we were able to take things little by little and all leave together then it would have been more difficult for this incident to have happened."