Nike concerned by Ronaldo allegations

Cristiano Ronaldo has been backed by Juventus following allegations of rape, which he strongly denies

Sportswear company Nike says it is "deeply concerned by the disturbing allegations" facing Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo has been accused of rape by Kathryn Mayorga, who claims the Juventus forward assaulted her in Las Vegas in 2009. He has firmly denied the accusation.

In an email to The Associated Press, Nike said: "We are deeply concerned by the disturbing allegations and will continue to closely monitor the situation."

The sportswear company has had a contract with Ronaldo, one of the wealthiest and most famous footballers in the world, since 2003.

Ronaldo, who has been left out of the Portugal squad for games against Poland and Scotland, has been backed by Juventus, who posted tweets on Thursday supporting their £105m signing.

The tweets read: "Ronaldo has shown in recent months his great professionalism and dedication, which is appreciated by everyone at Juventus.

"The events allegedly dating back to almost 10 years ago do not change this opinion, which is shared by anyone who has come into contact with this great champion."

Lawyers representing Ms Mayorga held a press conference in Las Vegas late on Wednesday night to give further details about the allegation.

Earlier on Wednesday, Ronaldo issued a denial on his Twitter account: "I firmly deny the accusations being issued against me. Rape is an abominable crime that goes against everything that I am and believe in.

"Keen as I may be to clear my name, I refuse to feed the media spectacle created by people seeking to promote themselves at my expense.

"My clear conscious will thereby allow me to await with tranquillity the results of any and all investigations."

Over the weekend, the five-time World Footballer of the Year described the claims, originally published in German magazine Der Spiegel, as "fake news" in

His attorney Christian Schertz insists the allegation is "manifestly illegal" and is "one of the most serious violations in personal rights in years".