“Catherine Mayorga is true”: Activists raise the names of the alleged rape victim of Ronaldo over Manchester United

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With Cristiano Ronaldo’s much-anticipated return to Manchester United today, activists have taken a stand.

Feminist group Level Up flew a plane over Old Trafford pulling out a sign with the name of the alleged rape victim, a Euronews journalist reported on the ground.

The sign reads “Believe Catherine Mayorga.”

Mayorga says Ronaldo raped her in 2009 in Las Vegas, before asking to reopen the case in 2018. In 2019, US prosecutors said the player would not face charges because the allegations could not be proven “beyond a reasonable doubt”.

Ronaldo has always denied these allegations. However, the Portuguese striker reportedly paid Mayorga a settlement of €336,000, as part of a deal that required Mayorga to remain silent about the allegations.

Ronaldo wrote on Twitter in 2018, “I firmly deny the accusations against me. Rape is a heinous crime that goes against everything I am and what I believe in.”

The women’s campaign group behind the initiative says they wanted to use today’s historic match to highlight a “culture of silence about abuse from the football community”.

“The football world has remained silent about these allegations, while shrugging off Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United,” Level Up said in a statement.

“There was an almost complete media blackout,” said Janie Starling, one of Level Up’s directors.

Funded by women’s football fans

“Sexual violence is shrouded in silence and that’s how it continues,” Starling told Euronews.

“We wanted to send a message to all the powerful and wealthy men that they cannot operate with impunity.”

“But it was also a message to all the survivors saying we see you, so it was a message to the perpetrators and a gesture of solidarity with the victims as well,” the activist continued.

Starling said the event was funded by fundraising.

Lots of male fans donated, especially football fans. So there were a lot of women’s football fans who got involved, and that’s especially beautiful,” she told Euronews.

“This won’t be the last you see of us.”

Ronaldo earned an unexpected return to United after 12 years when he was sold by Juventus last month.

The 36-year-old Portuguese striker scored two goals to lead Manchester United 2-1 against Newcastle. United climbed to the top of the Premier League table with a 4-1 final victory.

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