Detailed allegations against Cristiano Ronaldo have caused Las Vegas police to reopen an old sex assault report from 2009. The details, published in a German newspaper in late September, are disturbing. But unlike recent cases of alleged assault in other industries, the soccer world has largely rallied around Ronaldo. His team and his country have voiced enthusiastic support for him, and so have fans, without even the usual notes of ‘taking this very seriously’.
What’s different about sports? It starts with identity. What happens next? Nobody really knows. It’s been 15 years since an athlete of this magnitude faced these sorts of charges and we’re about to see if the culture around the games we watch has changed at all since then. This is a #MeToo moment for the sports industry and sports fandom at large. Would it shock anyone if the ball is fumbled?
GUEST: Emily Sadler, Sportsnet Staff Writer