Soccer Star Cristiano Ronaldo: My Conscience Is 'Clear' Regarding Alleged Las Vegas Rape

Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo has denied claims that he sexually assaulted a woman in 2009, taking to Twitter on Wednesday to call the act of rape an “abominable crime” and that he was not stressing about the ensuing investigation.

“I firmly deny the accusations being issued against me,” Ronaldo’s first tweet reads. “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 conscience will thereby allow me to await with tranquillity the results of any and all investigations,” reads a second tweet.

Kathryn Mayorga, 35, filed a lawsuit in Clark County, Nevada, on Friday alleging that Ronaldo raped her in a Las Vegas hotel room in 2009 after the two met at a nightclub, CNN reports.

Mayorga’s suit reportedly claims that the 33-year-old soccer Juventus forward admitted to his team that she’d told him “no” and “stop” multiple times during the alleged assault, but that she was ultimately coerced into accepting a $375,000 settlement and signing a nondisclosure agreement.

Mayorga’s lawsuit is seeking general, special and punitive damages, as well as interest, attorney fees and court costs, according to ESPN.

The suit would also void her previous agreement with Ronaldo, according to CNN.

Las Vegas police reportedly reopened their investigation into the alleged assault last month, citing a request from either Mayorga herself or a representative.

Authorities confirmed on Monday that officers responded to a report of sexual assault on the same day that Ronaldo is alleged to have assaulted Mayorga, ESPN reports.

Police also confirmed that the alleged victim was examined by a medical professional, but stated that the alleged victim did not provide authorities with descriptions or details regarding the suspect or the location of the alleged assault, according to ESPN.

After German publication Der Spiegel broke the story of Mayorga’s lawsuit, Ronaldo seemed to address the accusations against him in an Instagram Live session on Friday, CNN reports.

“What they said today, fake—fake news,” Ronaldo said, as quoted by to CNN. “They want to promote by my name. It’s normal. They want to be famous — to say my name. Yeah, but it’s part of the job. I’m [a] happy man and all, all good.”

Christian Schertz, a member of Ronaldo’s legal team, accused the publication of violating Ronaldo's right to privacy, according to CNN.

In response to Ronaldo’s Instagram Live statements, Mayorga’s attorney, Leslie Stovall, said in a statement obtained by CNN that the various facts of the case did not constitute “fake news.”

Another of Mayorga’s lawyers, Larissa Drohobyczer, confirmed to CNN that the #MeToo movement inspired Mayorga to come forward with her story and pursue a legal action against Ronaldo.

[Photo Credit: Getty]