NEW YORK (NYTIMES) - Organisers of a high-profile summer tournament for world soccer's biggest club teams have decided to keep Juventus and its star Cristiano Ronaldo away from the United States this year, eliminating the risk of the Portuguese star's being detained by authorities as part of a rape investigation in Las Vegas.
While the bulk of the games in the tournament, the International Champions Cup, will take place in the United States as usual, Juventus' games will be a part of the Asian version of the annual event.
Juventus will be joined there - most likely in China and Singapore - by Premier League teams Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.
Ronaldo, a five-time world player of the year, is in his first season in Italy's top league after Juventus paid more than US$114 million (S$154 million) to acquire him from Real Madrid last July.
Only months after his transfer, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said it had reopened an investigation into accusations by an American woman, Kathryn Mayorga, who said Ronaldo raped her in a Las Vegas hotel room in 2009 and later paid her US$375,000 for her silence.
Ronaldo and his lawyers repeatedly denied the rape accusation when it emerged in September; Ronaldo labelled it "fake news" in a video posted on one of his social media accounts, and at one point his lawyers threatened to sue the German newsmagazine that was the first to publish Mayorga's accusations.
Juventus stood behind its star, too, expressing appreciation for his "great professionalism and dedication" and saying Mayorga's accusations "do not change this opinion."
Â
Â
Â
Juventus has a multiyear agreement to play in the International Champions Cup, which is organised by New York-based Relevent Sports.
Ronaldo's legal troubles played a role in shaping plans for Juventus' participation, according to people familiar with this summer's schedule, which will be released next week.
A spokesman for Juventus, which is on course to win an eighth straight Italian league championship, said "going east" to Asia was normal after spending recent preseasons in the United States.
While preseason tours are not seen as serious competition, they are vital for teams' preparations before the new season, and Juventus would have drawn unwanted scrutiny had it travelled to the US without Ronaldo, its star attraction.
The case against Ronaldo resurfaced after German magazine Der Spiegel said it had obtained confidential documents related to the case, and the purported payment by Ronaldo to settle it, from whistleblower platform Football Leaks.
Around the same time, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said it had reopened its investigation into the rape accusation, following up on information it said had been provided by the victim.
Ronaldo, now 33, was a star at England's Manchester United when he met Mayorga, now 35, at a Las Vegas nightclub in 2009, just before his record-breaking transfer to Real Madrid. He invited her and others to his suite in the early hours of June 13, 2009, she said, where she says he sexually assaulted her.
A number of the documents Mayorga's lawyers say support her claim were published by Der Spiegel, which also published a lengthy interview with Mayorga. Ronaldo's lawyers have questioned the authenticity of some of the documents published by Der Spiegel but have not denied that Ronaldo and Mayorga had a sexual encounter, which they contend was consensual.
According to her lawsuit, Mayorga reported being assaulted to police later that day and underwent a medical examination, during which evidence was collected in what is sometimes known as a rape kit.
Las Vegas police have acknowledged that Mayorga filed a report and was examined, but police said she did not name her attacker at the time.
The case was reopened at Mayorga's request in September.
Atletico extend lead over Real with narrow win over Eibar La Liga / 20 April 2019, 7:09pm / Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone gestures during their La Liga clash against Eibar on Saturday.
Atletico extend lead over Real with narrow win over Eibar
Football: Free curry fish head, bak chor mee for Liverpool fans if Reds beat Tottenham to win Champions League A Liverpool fan poses with the Champions League trophy in Madrid on May 30, 2019
Football: Free curry fish head, bak chor mee for Liverpool
IMAGE: Barcelona's Lionel Messi in action. Photograph: Albert Gea /Reuters. Lionel Messi created a goal and scored another as Barcelona came from behind to beat struggling Rayo Vallecano 3-1 at home on Saturday and stay seven points clear at the top of La Liga.
Messi shines as Barca survive scare to see off Rayo - Egypt Today
Solid and smart Bayern hold Liverpool at Anfield 01:23 A resolute Bayern Munich defence limited Liverpool to few chances at Anfield in their Champions League tie, much to the satisfaction of manager Robert Kovac.
'No room for complacency' Jump to media player Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Rachel Reeves says there is "still a long way to go", after figures from the ONS reveal UK unemployment has fallen
Christians, there is no room for complacency or despair in
Jurgen Klopp refused to get carried away with the growing expectation that Liverpool can lift the league title for the first time in 29 years saying his players must stay focused after they thrashed Arsenal 5-1 on Saturday. Roberto Firmino's hat-trick - the first by a Liverpool player against the
Jan Vertonghen celebrates a goal with his teammates.(Reuters) Defender Jan Vertonghen scored once and set up another goal for Son Heung-min as Tottenham Hotspur beat Borussia Dortmund 3-0 at Wembley Stadium on Wednesday to give them the clear edge following the first leg of their last 16 Champions League tie.
Champions League: Son Shines As Tottenham Beat Dortmund 3-0
Gareth Bale is "100 per cent" committed to Real Madrid, according to his agent. Jonathan Barnett was responding to reports that Real manager Zinedine Zidane had raised doubts over the Welshman's
Bale '100 percent' committed to Real claims agent
Arrizabalaga dropped as Chelsea beat Tottenham 2-0. Martyn Herman. 3 Min Read. LONDON, Feb 27 - CHELSEA 2 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0 . Soccer Football - Premier League - Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur
Arrizabalaga dropped as Chelsea beat Tottenham 2-0 - Football
LONDON (AFP) - Gordon Banks, the England football team's goalkeeper when they won the 1966 World Cup, has died aged 81, his former club Stoke announced on Tuesday (Feb 12).. Read more at
England's World Cup-winning goalkeeper Gordon Banks dies
Read more about Jesus fires as Man City snatch top spot from Liverpool on Business Standard. Pep Guardiola welcomed Gabriel Jesus's return to form as the Brazilian struck twice in a 3-1 win over Everton as Manchester City leapfrogged Liverpool back to the top of the Premier League.Jesus hadn't scored a Premier League goal for four months
Gabriel Jesus double fires Manchester City back to the top of
Brewers aim to keep momentum going vs. Pirates. Field Level Media May 31, 2019, 4:33 AM UTC. The Milwaukee Brewers don't need Christian Yelich to hit homers to win. After all, Yelich didn't add to
Rockets aim to keep momentum - YouTube
Chelsea beat Eintracht Frankfurt on penalties to reach Europa League final By Clare Lovell Soccer Football - Europa League Semi Final Second Leg - Chelsea v Eintracht Frankfurt - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - May 9, 2019 Chelseas Kepa Arrizabalaga celebrates with David Luiz and team mates af
Chelsea in Europa League final with win on penalties against
SINGAPORE: The Football Association of luxury138's (FAS) new technical director Joseph Palatsides hopes to translate luxury138's "culture of excellence" to football and wants to do it by building on the blueprint set by his predecessor Michel Sablon.
Football: New FAS technical director Joseph Palatsides aims
0 comments:
Post a Comment