The Irish mixed martial artist Conor McGregor recently lost a civil rape case in a jury, and has been asked to pay a sum of $263,600 to the victim. The UFC fighter had denied any wrongdoings on his part, and will appeal the decision. We look at other high-profile athletes whose legacy were forever tainted with sexual assault allegations.

Conor McGregor lost a civil rape case in a jury, and has been asked to pay a sum of $263,600 to the victim, who was “brutally raped and battered” in her Dublin Penthouse. “I want to show (my daughter) Freya and every other girl and boy that you can stand up for yourself if something happens to you, no matter who the person is, and justice will be served,” said the victim after the landmark ruling.

The UFC fighter had denied any wrongdoings on his part, maintaining that he had consensual sex with the victim. He will now appeal the decision. McGregor, the most brash and boisterous fighter in the history of mixed martial arts, always showed a propensity to get embroiled in controversies. McGregor is lambasted by numerous fighters, and his much-anticipated return to the UFC seems unlikely now. We look at other high-profile athletes who faced rape allegations.

Kylian Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe's life in Madrid didn't get off to a great start, both on and off the field. The French footballer was astonished to see his name popping up in a rape trial by the Swedish media. It was reported that he was in Stockholm where he allegedly raped a woman inside the hotel room.

Cristiano Ronaldo

In 2009, Cristiano Ronaldo was accused of raping a woman in LA Hotel when he was on a break. Ronaldo denied the allegation but paid hush money upfront and made her sign the non-disclosure agreement. The case was buried for a long time until documents were leaked in the media in 2018. The case was dismissed in 2022.

Mason Greenwood

In January 2022, Mason Greenwood, then a rising star at Manchester United, was arrested on the counts of rape and assault. Greenwood's girlfriend posted a series of pictures on Instagram, showing bruises and scars from the domestic violation she faced when she was cohabiting with Greenwood. His contract was later terminated by Manchester United.

Mike Tyson

In 1992, the legendary boxer Mike Tyson was accused of raping a teenage girl in an Indianapolis hotel room. The victim, Desiree Washington, alleged that Tyson forced himself on her despite her protests. Tyson was found guilty and sentenced to six years in prison. He served three years before being released on parole in 1995. His boxing career then went on for another ten years before he retired.

Kobe Bryant

In 2003, NBA superstar Kobe Bryant, then 24 years old, faced accusations of rape by a 19-year-old hotel employee in Colorado. The woman claimed Bryant had sexually assaulted her in his hotel room, while Bryant maintained that their encounter was consensual. The rape case was later dropped, but left lasting impacts on Bryant's career and personal life.

Neymar

Brazilian soccer star Neymar found himself in controversy during his stint at PSG, after being accused of raping a woman in a hotel room in Paris. It was also alleged that Neymar turned violent, and attacked her during their stay. The footballer however denied the allegation, also releasing a screenshot of his conversation to prove his innocence.

Conor McGregor

A jury in Dublin convicted the mixed martial artist Conor McGregor of sexually assaulting a woman in 2018. The UFC legend is asked to pay $263,600 to the victim, but he has instructed his legal team to appeal the decision in higher courts. He still has two fights left in the contract, and is likely to return to UFC in 2025.

Sandeep Lamichchane

Sandeep Lamichchane's career came crashing down after he faced an allegation of raping an underage girl inside the hotel room. He was handed an eight-year sentence which was eventually overturned by the high court, and he was acquitted.

Robinho

Robinho, while plying his trade for AC Milan in Italy, was accused of raping a woman he met in a nightclub in 2013. The report suggested that Robinho, along with his friends, drugged this woman and assaulted her. The Brazilian footballer was found guilty four years later, and was sentenced to nine years in prison. However, he appealed the decision and the case is still going on.

Benjamin Mendy

Benjamin Mendy, a French professional footballer was accused of rape by multiple women in August 2021, when he was still playing for Pep Guardiola's Manchester City. Soon, he was arrested on four counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. Manchester City terminated his contract, and his career in top-flight football came to an end.