RONALDO: I HID RAPE CLAIM FROM MY KIDS
Star tells of shame in first interview
Ronaldo with children and Georgina CRISTIANO Ronaldo has told of his shame and embarrassment at being accused of rape.
The Portugal and Juventus star also revealed he had to hide the allegations by Kathryn Mayorga from his children.
Speaking in an ITV documentary, the 34-year-old looked troubled as he spoke to Piers Morgan about the accusation.
Ronaldo said: “It’s hard, you have a girlfriend, you have a family, you have kids, when they play with your honesty, it’s bad, it’s hard.
“I remember one day I was at home in the living room with my girlfriend watching the TV to see the news and they speak about Cristiano Ronaldo and this and that. I listened to the kids coming down the stairs and I changed the channel because I was embarrassed.
“I changed the channel for Cristiano ACCUSER Kathryn Jr not to see that they speak bad about his father about a very bad case. It makes me feel so bad to be honest.”
The comments are the first time the footballer has spoken in-depth about the accusations he raped Kathryn at a Las Vegas hotel in 2009. He has denied the
allegations, calling rape an “abominable crime that goes against everything that I am”.
In July, Las Vegas police said there was not enough evidence to bring charges against Ronaldo.
But last month his lawyers admitted he paid Kathryn a £300,000 settlement over her claims. Apart from Cristiano Jr,
With Morgan on show eight, Ronaldo also has a daughter Alana, one – with girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez – and two-year-old twins Eva Maria and Mateo.
During the TV interview he was reduced to tears when a clip was shown of his alcoholic dad Dinis, who died of liver failure in 2004 aged 52, chatting about his son’s achievements.
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid said: “I think the interview would be funny, but I didn’t expect to cry. But I never saw these images. I don’t know where you… I have to have these images to show my family.
“But I really don’t know my father 100%. He was a drunk person. I never spoke with him, like a normal conversation. It was hard.”
■ Cristiano Ronaldo Meets Piers Morgan airs tonight at 9pm on ITV.