Empire of Conor McGregor is crumbling after conviction for sexual assault. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @thenotoriousmma
The business empire of Conor McGregor suffered a triple blow after the verdict in his civil case last week. The controversial Irish fighter, a former UFC featherweight (65,7 kg) and lightweight (70,3 kg) champion, was convicted of sexually assaulting a woman, identified as Nikita Hand. The incident took place in a hotel in Dublin, Ireland, in 2018.
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Following the verdict, 'The Notorious' began to be viewed differently by sponsors. In addition to having to pay compensation of around 250 thousand euros (approximately R$ 1,5 million), McGregor lost his participation in a computer game, as well as followers on social media. Irish retailers are also boycotting the sale of alcoholic drinks that use the fighter's brand.
Followers
Over 100 people unfollowed Conor McGregor in recent days after the Nikita Hand case. Last Friday (22), a jury at the High Court of Ireland ruled in favor of her and her accusation of sexual assault against the MMA fighter.
According to figures taken from InsTrack, McGregor's Instagram account lost 33.958 followers after Friday's verdict. A day later that number dropped by another 42.719, and by another XNUMX the following day.
At the time of writing, McGregor had lost around 105 followers on Instagram.
A post from 'reportedd.ie', a charity that allows people to report sexual harassment anonymously, has gone viral. They examined the importance of unfollowing a figure like McGregor, as with fewer followers, he is less likely to make as much money from sponsored content on 'Instagram'. Responding to the post, the man himself Conor McGregor commented: 'Followed'.
Game participation
Conor McGregor participated in the game Hitman. Photo: Disclosure/IO Interactive.
On Monday (25), video game developer 'IO Interactive' publicly announced the fighter's shutdown from the game 'Hitman', whose voice was used for the character 'The Disruptor'. Earlier this month, a mission involving the Irishman had become accessible to players.
In an official statement, the company made it clear that the civil lawsuit was the sole and main reason for the decision to cut all ties with McGregor. 'IO Interactive' also removed any material featuring 'The Notorious' from its website.
“We take this matter very seriously and cannot ignore its implications. Consequently, we will begin removing all content featuring Mr. McGregor from our storefronts starting today,” IO Interactive said in a statement.
Boycott drinks
Conor McGregor and the brand of its first whiskey / Disclosure
Two drinks ventures associated with McGregor have come under the spotlight, with Carry Out Off-Licence and Costcutter Ireland owner Barry Group withdrawing from sale both its 'Forged' Irish stout and 'Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey', the whiskey brand the fighter previously owned.
“Barry Group has decided to remove Forged Stout and Proper 12 from our Costcutter and Carry Out stores. This action reflects our commitment to maintaining a retail environment that is in line with the values of our customers and partners,” Barry Group said in a statement.
In addition, Irish retail group Musgrave, which owns the SuperValu and Centra brands, has removed McGregor's drinks from its stores.
Still, riding on the coattails of IO Interactive's decision, Proximo Spirits, which bought the fighter's whiskey brand in 2021, announced that it will no longer use the name or image of Conor McGregor in the drink.
The case
The charges against McGregor date back to December 2018. According to Nikita Hand, the fighter raped her in a hotel in Dublin. After the conviction, the Irishman said he intends to appeal the decision.
“I will appeal today’s decision. I am with my family now, focused on my future. Thank you to all my support around the world,” he said.
Hand, who will be compensated €248,603.60 (more than R$1,5 million), said when leaving the High Court in Dublin that the decision is proof of the existence of justice for all citizens.
“I hope my story is a reminder that no matter how scared you are, speak up, you have a voice and you continue to fight for justice. I know this has had a tremendous impact on not only my life, but my daughter’s life, my family and friends. It’s something I will never forget for the rest of my life,” she said.
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