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The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

HAMPERS | Ronaldo’s Fame Unfairly Overshadows Accountability

HAMPERS+%7C+Ronaldos+Fame+Unfairly+Overshadows+Accountability

Cristiano Ronaldo is the most well-known player in the world’s most well-known sport.

He has 75 million Twitter followers, more than any other athlete, an estimated net worth of $450 million and an empire of endorsement deals with many of the world’s largest companies.

However, the most marketable athlete now finds himself embroiled in a serious sexual assault scandal. Kathryn Mayorga has filed a civil lawsuit over allegations that Ronaldo raped her after they met at a Las Vegas nightclub in June 2009.

Mayorga claims that Ronaldo engaged in non-consensual sex with her at his suite at the Palms Place Hotel. The two reached an out-of-court settlement a few months after the alleged assault in which Ronaldo paid Mayorga $375,000 in return for her agreeing to not press charges and to never discuss the incident.

Mayorga now asserts that the settlement is not enforceable because she lacked the mental capacity to sign the agreement, claiming she was distressed and emotionally unstable after the incident. Her lawyer says that Mayorga has been inspired by the #MeToo movement to speak out publicly and bring the charges forward.

The Las Vegas Police Department has re-opened the investigation into the incident, generating the possibility that Ronaldo, who denies the allegations, could be criminally charged and extradited to the United States. Now that there could be consequences for Ronaldo, the mainstream coverage of the situation has spread.

It should be noted that the media’s sudden interest in the situation is pathetically late given that the allegation was first reported a year ago. Although the woman’s identity was initially unknown and no legal battle ensued at the time, it is concerning that most sports commentators continued their routine praise of Ronaldo’s athletic attributes while ignoring the revelation of such a serious offense.

Such indifference speaks to a societal problem with superstar athletes. Too often, players with vast wealth and an enormous following are protected amid severe scandals. For example, Kobe Bryant was accused of rape by a 19-year old woman in 2003 and admitted he did not ask for consent during the encounter. Yet he resumed his successful career with an unscathed public image after his lawyers shamed the accuser until she declined to testify.

Globally-recognized athletes like Ronaldo, whose skills are a massive revenue generator for sports networks, tend to receive the benefit of the doubt in the media.

However, the details surrounding Ronaldo’s case offer evidence that Mayorga’s allegations are credible.

Firstly, the fact that Mayorga initially agreed not to sue does not diminish the likelihood that her allegations are true. Ronaldo’s wealth and status would have given him enormous leverage in pressuring her to agree to the out-of-court settlement. She likely had personal reasons for not wanting a lengthy, public and potentially humiliating legal conflict. The traumatic aftermath of the incident itself would likely have made it even more difficult.

Moreover, the documents from Mayorga’s lawyers suggest that Ronaldo admitted to engaging in non-consensual sex. In a questionnaire answered by Ronaldo from September 2009, he says that Mayorga “said no several times” but he continued anyway.

Ronaldo and his lawyers have denied the legitimacy of the documents but have not claimed anything more specific than dismissing all allegations as “fake news.” Ronaldo has personally argued that it is no more than an attempt by Mayorga to self-promote using his name.

Plenty of athletes with widespread name recognition never receive a sexual assault charge. In Ronaldo’s case, this allegation is not even his first. He was already accused of rape by another woman in 2005, for which charges were never filed.

In evaluating Mayorga’s believability, one should consider that she has little to gain and everything to lose. Even if she succeeds, she could become the subject of degradation and harassment from Ronaldo fans who would be furious to see his career ruined.

As the sports world awaits the result of the lawsuit, those who admire Ronaldo’s talents should not blindly defend him – or any other highly successful athlete – amid credible and serious allegations.

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