Companies drop Conor McGregor after sexual assault verdict

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BRETT OKAMOTO via <a href="http://espn.go.com/" title="ESPN" class="espn_sc_byline">ESPN </a>
via
November 26, 2024, 7:59 PM ET
2 min read

Conor McGregor will no longer be the face of Irish whiskey brand Proper No. 12 after he was found liable in a sexual assault case last week in Dublin.

Proper No. 12, which McGregor helped found in 2018, told the Irish Independent on Tuesday it would no longer be associated with the former UFC champion. McGregor sold his stake in Proper No. 12 in 2021 but had continued as the public face of the brand.

"Since 2021, Proximo Spirits has been the 100 percent owner of Proper No. 12 Irish Whiskey," the company told the Irish Independent. "Going forward, we do not plan to use Mr. McGregor's name and likeness in the marketing of the brand."

McGregor, 35, was found liable by a civil jury in a case in which a woman said McGregor sexually assaulted her in a hotel room in December 2018. The High Court in Dublin ordered him to pay the complainant 248,000 euros, or around $257,000. McGregor, who said in court he had consensual sex with the woman, has said he intends to appeal the decision. He is not currently facing any criminal charges related to the case.

In addition to Proper No. 12, video game developer IO Interactive announced it was cutting ties with McGregor. McGregor had been a side character in the company's game, Hitman.

"In light of the recent court ruling regarding Conor McGregor, IO Interactive has made the decision to cease its collaboration with the athlete, effective immediately," the company said via X. "We take this matter very seriously and cannot ignore its implications. Consequently, we will begin removing all content featuring Mr. McGregor from our storefronts starting today."

Multiple retailers have announced they will pull McGregor-related products, including Proper No. 12 whiskey and Forged Irish Stout beer, from shelves in Ireland.

The woman in the civil case said McGregor, a former two-weight UFC champion, forced her onto a bed, choked her and made her fear for her life. She was treated for injuries the following morning by paramedics.

McGregor has not fought in the UFC since 2021. The UFC has not commented on McGregor's civil case.