Conor McGregor Faces Backlash as Sexual Assault Ruling Sparks Calls to Ban His Brands
Retailers in Ireland are being urged to boycott Conor McGregor’s stout and whiskey brands after the UFC star was found liable for sexual assault.
Last week, a High Court jury ruled that McGregor had raped Nikita Hand at a Dublin hotel in 2018. McGregor, who has vehemently denied the accusations, was ordered to pay the victim more than $250,000 but has already instructed his legal team to appeal the decision and made multiple social media posts professing his innocence.
McGregor won’t face any criminal charges for his role in the alleged assault, but his financial portfolio could take a big hit if Cliona Saidlear — executive director of Rape Crisis Network Ireland — gets her wish.
“The companies making money from his alcohol and other products need to look at whether they want to align themselves with a man found by a civil jury to have sexually assaulted a woman Saidlear said in a statement. “They need to stop promoting him and distance themselves… €250,000 won’t dent his finances, but the public can play a role here in expressing disapproval for anyone that tries make money with a man who engaged in that despicable behavior” (h/t Irish Mirror).
Conor McGregor will be back in a Dublin high court next year over his proper no. 12 whiskey brand
Currently, McGregor’s Forged Irish Stout and Proper No. 12 brand of whiskey is sold in supermarkets nationwide in Ireland. The latter can also be purchased in a slew of other countries, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
In 2021, Proximo Spirits purchased the Proper No. 12 brand for a whopping $600 million, of which McGregor reportedly received more than $150 million for his share in the company.
McGregor is expected back in the High Court next year after his former friend and fighter, Artem Lobov, filed a lawsuit claiming that McGregor’s whiskey was originally his idea. Lobov alleges that McGregor promised him a 5% stake in the business, but never received his share when the brand was sold.
If Lobov succeeds in making his case, it could cost the Irish megastar another $8 million.
