Juventus support Ronaldo amid rape allegations

A former model had accused the striker of raping her in 2009

Juventus support Ronaldo amid rape allegations [File] Cristiano Ronaldo has denied the allegations | AFP

Juventus has defended Cristiano Ronaldo, who was accused by a former model of raping her in 2009, saying that the claims made by his accuser does not change their opinion of the striker.

The Serie A champions tweeted that Ronaldo has shown “great professionalism and dedication” and it is appreciated by everyone at Juventus.

“The events allegedly dating back to almost 10 years ago do not change this opinion, which is shared by anyone who has come into contact with this great champion,” read the tweet on Juventus's official Twitter account.

Juventus also posted a video on YouTube and its Twitter timeline showing Ronaldo training with his fellow Juve teammates and scoring a goal. 'Juventus go for goal. Cristiano Ronaldo finds the target!' reads the title of the video.

Following this, the Italian club faced massive social media outrage as fans called Juventus out for its blind support to Ronaldo.

Kathryn Mayorga had accused Ronaldo of raping her in his Las Vegas hotel suite in 2009. She had reported the incident to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police then and had undergone a medical examination as well.

Mayorga had filed a 32-page complaint in which she gave a detailed account of the incident that happened on on June 13, 2009 at the Rain Nightclub in the Palms Hotel and Casino.

Ronaldo recently denied the allegations and said that the charges were “fake news” in an Instagram live session, which was later deleted. He later tweeted that rape is an abominable crime and that he has a clear conscience.

“I firmly deny the accusations being issued against me. Rape is an abominable crime that goes against everything that I am and believe in. Keen as I may be to clear my name, I refuse to feed the media spectacle created by people seeking to promote themselves at my expense.”

“My clear conscious will thereby allow me to await with tranquillity the results of any and all investigations,” Ronaldo tweeted.

Mayorga, in an interview with German newspaper Der Spiegel, said the #MeToo movement partly inspired her to come forward. The 34-year-old also added that she was forced to sign a nondisclosure agreement. She had settled the case then for a payment of USD 375,000.

Sportswear company Nike, meanwhile, said that it was deeply concerned by the allegations. A Nike spokesperson said that the company is closely monitoring the situation, AFP reported.

Ronaldo is, reportedly, one of only three athletes to have a lifetime deal with Nike.