Israel Adesanya: 6 sportsmen who suffered huge financial losses because of girlfriends

Many sports celebrities have lost big money after falling out with their girlfriends

Reigning UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has been in the news after his ex-girlfriend allegedly filed to get half of his worth as compensation for their separation.

However, ‘The LastStyle Bender,’ as Pulse Sports reported, replied his ex-girlfriend Charlotte Powdrell that his assets are protected like Achraf Hakimi.

Several sportsmen have in the past lost huge endorsement deals to the tune of millions of dollars after a fallout with their lovers.

This article highlights 6 sportsmen who have suffered huge financial losses after a messy altercation with their girlfriends. 

1. Cristiano Ronaldo

Portugal captain and former Manchester United footballer Cristiano Ronaldo had to pay a woman Kathryn Mayorga who accused him of rape in 2009.

According to his lawyer, the former Juventus star parted with €375,000 in settlement “to maintain the confidentiality of their dispute,” as reported by The Independent.

However, Ronaldo maintained his innocence, insisting that the affair with the woman was consensual.

2. Tiger Woods

Before his world came crashing down, Tiger Woods was a gentleman admired and respected by millions of people worldwide.

However, when reports of his numerous amorous affairs hit the news space, the image of the golfer as a respected man was shattered and the exalted Woods became a shadow of himself.

A CNBC report in 2010 revealed that the American golfer lost sponsorship deals with brands like  Accenture, AT&T, and Gatorade. A figure reportedly in the region of $23 million and $30 million for that year alone. 

Meanwhile, he was able to retain his deals with Nike and EA Sports.

Furthermore, his ex-girlfriend Erica Herman filed a $30m lawsuit against the 15 times golf champion.

Erica, who started dating Woods in 2017, said she was forcefully evicted from his mansion despite having agreed that she was allowed to stay for eleven years.

She is also filing for an NDA she signed with Woods to be dismissed arguing that it contravenes the Speak Out Act and Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021.

The BBC reported that Tiger Woods has denied having any tenancy agreement with Erica and has asked that the charges be quashed.

3. Kobe Bryant

The late famous basketball player Kobe Bryant is not left out on the list of sportsmen who have lost money because of romantic relationships with women.

Things never remained the same after the five-time champion and Olympic gold medalist was accused of rape in a Colorado hotel. However, Kobe Bryant maintained that he had a consensual affair with his accuser.

Despite paying out an undisclosed sum to his accuser, who eventually refused to testify, his career and bank account took a hit.

Brands like McDonald’s, Nutella, Spalding, and Coca-Cola severed ties with the Lakers star. However, it remains unclear how much money he lost in the process.

Interestingly, after a few years, Kobe Bryant was back and even better but sadly in January 2020, he died in a helicopter crash in California. He was only 41.

4. Ryan Giggs

Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs also suffered some losses after an altercation with his then-girlfriend.

The Daily Mail reported that the Welshman was accused of assaulting and inflicting injuries on his ex-girlfriend Kate Greville at home in Worsley, Greater Manchester. 

Also, the 49-year-old was charged after he was accused of beating his ex-lover’s sister Emma Greville during the same altercation. 

Ryan Giggs pleaded not guilty to all the aforementioned charges. 

However, this incident cost him financially as he was forced to step down as the manager of the Wales national team, missing a golden opportunity to lead his country to the first FIFA World Cup in Qatar since 1958.

5. Manti Te’o 

Back in 2012, a fast-rising American football player Manti Te’o allegedly fell for a catfishing sham.

The now 32-year-old fell in love with a “mystery lady” after receiving a message on Facebook from one Lennay Kekua.

Their love blossomed, and although Manti Te’o pushed to see his lover, she found numerous excuses to evade meeting him in person.

However, Manti Te’o was later informed that his mystery girlfriend had died in an auto crash, and this disclosure affected his career. 

Investigations would later reveal that Lennay did not exist and that one Ronaiah ‘Naya’ Tuiasosopo had created the phoney profile.

Meanwhile, for Manti Te’o, this incident made him lose millions of dollars after he failed to make the first draft into the NFL, as everyone expected, according to a report by the Metro.  

6. Oscar Pistorius

South African amputee athlete Oscar Pistorius was accused of allegedly killing his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, in February 2013.

The famous Olympician well-known for using prosthetic blades during competitions, was later found guilty and sentenced to six years imprisonment.

However, in 2017, the jail term was increased to 13 years and five months, after the earlier sentence was labelled “too lenient.”

The Guardian reported that he was denied parole, after serving half his jail term according to South African laws.

During this period, Pistorius lost brand endorsement deals with Nike, Oakley, and others believed to be in the region of $2 million annually.

Oscar Pistorius, as reported by Guardian, also made a series of secret payments of about 6,000 South African rand monthly to the parents of Reeva Steenkamp.

However, they did reject a lump payment of 375,000 rand from the athlete, labelling it “blood money.”