Cristiano Ronaldo to Yash Dayal: Cricketers and Footballers accused of Rape, Sexual Assaults

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Cricketers and footballers committing sexual crimes deeply harm society by breaking public trust, damaging victims' mental health, and tarnishing sports' integrity.

Such cases highlight the urgent need for athletes to be vigilant about boundaries, consent, and respectful behavior. They must undergo rigorous education on sexual ethics, be subjects to strict codes of conduct, and support transparent reporting mechanisms to deter abuse and foster safe sports environments. Greater awareness and accountability can reduce abuse prevalence and maintain sports as a positive social influence.

In the modern world, the number of those accusations, sextortion allegations, have increased, and the latest player who has been accused is Pakistan's Haider Ali. On the other hand, Villarreal midfielder Thomas Partey has been accused of the same, notably five counts of rape.

In this article, we shall have a look at the cricketers and footballers who have been accused of Rape and Sexual Assaults. While some have been acquitted from the allegations, while other cases remain ongoing.

Cricketers Accused of Rape or Sexual Assault

Sandeep Lamichhane (Nepal)

Lamichhane was convicted of raping an 18-year-old in Kathmandu in December 2023 and sentenced to eight years. However, the Patan High Court acquitted him in May 2024 due to insufficient evidence. Nepal cricket authorities reinstated him, and he was included in Nepal's T20 World Cup squad soon after, despite some visa issues and controversies around his presence on the field.

Yash Dayal (India)

Facing two FIRs in Jaipur and Ghaziabad, Dayal is accused of repeated rape of a minor from 2023 to 2025, including incidents during his IPL tenure. The complainant alleges he exploited her cricket ambitions. His arrest was stayed by the Allahabad High Court, with investigations ongoing.

Haider Ali (Pakistan)

Arrested in Manchester in 2025 during a tour, Ali faces rape allegations involving a minor girl. Pakistan Cricket Board suspended him pending inquiry and cooperates with UK authorities. He pleaded not guilty and was granted bail.

Unnamed West Indies Cricketer

Accused by at least eleven women of rape, sexual assault, and harassment in 2023. Allegations include an 18-year-old victim and reported suppression attempts by the player's entourage and local authorities. No formal charges yet; investigations continue.

Danushka Gunathilaka (Sri Lanka)

Accused of rape and stealthing following a Tinder date in 2022. Found not guilty in September 2023 after the court saw insufficient evidence for stealthing. Gunathilaka expressed relief at being cleared and resuming his life.

Makhaya Ntini (South Africa)

Convicted of rape in 1999, Ntini served a short prison term before his conviction was overturned on appeal, marking a major cricket scandal at that time.

Rubel Hossain (Bangladesh)

Arrested in 2015 after his ex-girlfriend accused him of rape linked to a false promise of marriage.

Footballers Accused of Rape or Sexual Assault

Thomas Partey (Arsenal/Ghana)

Charged in London with five counts of rape and one sexual assault from 2021-2022 incidents involving three women. Denies all charges but appeared in court in August 2025 and was granted conditional bail. Investigations are ongoing.

Benjamin Mendy (Manchester City)

Charged with eight counts of rape, one attempted rape, and one sexual assault in 2021. Found not guilty on multiple charges in January 2023; further charges were also dismissed later. Released from Manchester City in 2023.

Mason Greenwood (Manchester United)

Arrested in January 2022 on suspicion of rape and assault. Charges were dropped in February 2023 after the key witness withdrew cooperation. Greenwood was suspended by Manchester United, loaned to Getafe, and later sold to Marseille.

Ched Evans (Sheffield United)

Convicted of rape in 2012 and sentenced to five years. After his conviction was quashed, Evans was acquitted in a retrial and resumed his career in lower leagues.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)

Accused in 2009 by Kathryn Mayorga of rape in Las Vegas. Ronaldo denied the allegations, claiming consensual sex. The civil lawsuit was dismissed in June 2022 due to improper evidence use by the accuser's lawyer.

Neymar Jr. (Brazil)

Accused of rape in 2019 by Najila Trindade. He was cleared by Brazilian courts after the accuser was suspected of blackmail, and the charges were dismissed.

Manolo Portanova (Italy/Genoa)

Convicted of gang-related sexual assault in 2023 and sentenced to six years. Continued playing while under investigation before conviction.

Karim Benzema & Franck Ribéry (France)

Both accused in 2014 of having sex with an underage prostitute, Zahia Dehar. Benzema and Ribéry were cleared due to insufficient evidence. Ribéry admitted the sexual encounter but denied knowledge of the girl's age or payment.