Ronaldo's sponsors show concern, Teleclub ignores the case

The report published by the German news magazine The mirror The case of an alleged rape from 2009, which has been reopened, has not only caused the share price of Ronaldo's employer Juventus Turin to plummet, but has also put the superstar's numerous sponsors on alert.

Sporting goods manufacturer Nike, for example, expressed its "deep concern about the disturbing allegations" - it would "continue to monitor the situation closely". This is understandable, as the US company spends a lot of money on Ronaldo's services. Almost a billion francs are said to have flowed into the Portuguese's pockets from Nike since 2016.

Nike has shown several times in the past that when it comes to sponsorship, the company often puts its money where its mouth is. For example, the sponsorship contract with Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova has since been terminated because she was found to have doped. Track and field athlete Oscar Pistorius, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison, also lost his sponsorship contract with Nike, as did footballer Ray Rice (domestic violence), cyclist Lance Armstrong (doping) and boxer Manny Pacquiao (homophobia).

The US video game giant EA Sports is getting even more specific: the Ronaldo cover of 'FIFA 2019', the company's best-known game, has been removed from the developer's website. The figureheads of the other titles can still be seen in the preview. "We have read the worrying reports detailing the allegations against Cristiano Ronaldo. We are monitoring the situation closely because we expect cover athletes and ambassadors to behave in a way that is consistent with EA's values," said EA Sports, explaining the move.

Juventus Turin triggers shitstorm

Ronaldo's employer seems to have less trouble with the accusations. Presumably because the football star appears to be unperturbed at Juventus and continues to deliver the performance required of him - for example with a goal against Udinese on Saturday. In the meantime, the club has made a very clumsy move on social media. The attempt to bolster Ronaldo's record investment failed when "the old lady" took to Twitter to praise the "high level of professionalism and dedication" that Ronaldo has shown in recent months and which is "appreciated here at Juventus". And in a second tweet: "The alleged events that took place almost ten years ago do not change this opinion, which is shared by everyone who has come into contact with this great champion."

This "whatever happened" declaration of loyalty was not well received by most followers in times of #Metoo and caused a veritable shitstorm. Especially as many users were not entirely clear about the extent to which a professional attitude to work and the status of a champion should legitimize possible rape. British football and TV legend Gary Lineker, for example, was scathing in his verdict: "Whatever the legal outcome of the case, this is simply appalling from Juventus."

Teleclub ignores the case

During the Champions League match between Juventus and YB, which could only be seen on the pay-TV channel Teleclub, the Ronaldo case was not a topic of conversation and was not even mentioned when the banned star was shown in close-up. As the largest sports broadcaster in Switzerland, the focus is mainly on the sporting aspects, which are selected according to editorial criteria, a spokesperson explained to the SonntagsZeitung. In the "Medienmacher" column, editor Simon Widmer accuses the media of being all too happy to look the other way when it comes to top footballers' behavior off the pitch. Convictions often have no further consequences for the players - something that would be unthinkable for politicians and business leaders. The presumption of innocence applies to Ronaldo in the current case, although he has already been convicted of tax evasion in the past. (hae)