DUBLIN, Aug 1 \u2014 Mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor lost an appeal in Ireland on Thursday over a civil court ruling last year awarding damages to a woman who accused him of rape.<\/p>\n
Three judges at the Court of Appeal in Dublin dismissed all the grounds for appeal raised by McGregor, 36. \u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n
Jurors at Dublin\u2019s High Court ain November awarded damages of almost \u20ac250,000 (RM1.2 million) to Nikita Hand, 35, who alleged that McGergor raped her in a hotel in the Irish capital in 2018.<\/p>\n
The court heard allegations that McGregor \u201cbrutally raped and battered\u201d Hand. The Irish sports star has insisted they had consensual sex.<\/p>\n
However Hand lost an assault lawsuit against a second man.<\/p>\n
Following the November ruling, McGregor was ordered to pay the entire costs of the case, estimated at around \u20ac1.5 million.<\/p>\n
He appealed the jury\u2019s decision, seeking a re-trial of the civil case against him.<\/p>\n
McGregor, a vocal figure in the Irish anti-immigration movement who in March met US President Donald Trump in the White House during a Saint Patrick\u2019s Day visit, was not in court during a month of appeal hearings.<\/p>\n
His legal team argued that judicial errors occurred in the original trial, including in how he was cross-examined.<\/p>\n
After the ruling, Hand told reporters that the appeal had \u201cretraumatised\u201d her but that she can now \u201cfinally move on and try to heal\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo every survivor out there, I know how hard it is, but please don\u2019t be silenced, you deserve to be heard, you also deserve justice,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Nicknamed \u201cThe Notorious,\u201d McGregor is one of the biggest stars in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) mixed martial arts circuit, formerly holding the featherweight and lightweight titles.<\/p>\n
The Irishman was sued in a US court in January, accused of sexual assault at an NBA game in Miami in 2023.<\/p>\n
He has announced plans to run in Ireland\u2019s presidential election this year.<\/p>\n
The vote to elect the country\u2019s next president \u2014 a largely ceremonial role without executive power \u2014 must be held by mid-November but he faces a number of steep hurdles to get on the ballot. \u2014 AFP \u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n
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