Conor McGregor’s Representative Responds to Sexual Assault Accusation

A representative for Conor McGregor, Karen Kessler, called the reports that he was arrested for sexual assault a “rumor.”

McGregor responded to a New York Times report that McGregor had been arrested for sexual assault shortly after it was released on Tuesday. She did her best to downplay the story without denying it, though she did refer to it as a “rumor” in her statement.

“This story has been circulating for some time and it is unclear why it is being reported now,” Kessler told ESPN. “The assumption that the Conor retirement announcement today is related to this rumor is absolutely false.”

“Should Conor fight in the future it must be in an environment where fighters are respected for their value, their skill, their hard work and their dedication to the sport,” she concluded.

McGregor announced his retirement from MMA on Tuesday shortly before the report surfaced.

“Hey guys quick announcement, I’ve decided to retire from the sport formally known as ‘Mixed Martial Art’ today,” he wrote. “I wish all my old colleagues well going forward in competition. I now join my former partners on this venture, already in retirement. Proper Pina Coladas on me fellas!”

After that, the New York Times released a report claiming that McGregor had been arrested back in

January as part of a sexual assault investigation. The arrest reportedly took place in his home city of Dublin, Ireland, and did not last. McGregor was reportedly released without being charged, though the investigation is ongoing.

Local laws prevent Irish media from naming the accused in sexual assault cases before they are convicted, so the coverage has gone mostly unnoticed until now. The accuser is a woman in her 20s, who said that she was assaulted at the Beacon Hotel in South Dublin on Dec. 10.

The woman reported her sexual assault to the police, and was then taken to a nearby hospital where she was treated in the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit. Police tried to obtain surveillance footage from the hotel, hoping to place McGregor on the scene.

“[Police] are investigating an alleged sexual assault on a female which occurred in Dublin 2 in the early hours of this morning, Monday December 10th 2018,” a spokesperson said. “No arrests have been made and investigations are continuing.”

McGregor has a history of clashes with law enforcement. Last year he was convicted of assault after throwing a metal cart at a bus full of other fighters in New York City, injuring some. The fighter has even faced possible bans from his sport at times.