Real Madrid footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly won his libel lawsuit against the Daily Telegraph, after the newspaper published a false article about him and his personal life.
The article, published in the Telegraph in July 2008, alleged that after attending a sports awards ceremony, the striker and former Manchester United player went to a Los Angeles nightclub and danced with four models despite a serious ankle injury. The newspaper claims that Ronaldo was served “£10,000 worth of Cristal champagne” as he cast his crutches aside and danced all night.
After the story was published, Ronaldo instructed his lawyer Allan Dunlavy to sue the Daily Telegraph for defamation. The paper defended the claims that the story was completely fabricated, but a court found in the footballer’s favour.
The Daily Telegraph eventually admitted that the allegations made against Ronaldo were false, and that they never should have published the article. Presumably relying its publishing company’s professional indemnity insurance cover for libel, the newspaper paid out a substantial amount in damages to Ronaldo for the embarrassment, distress and offence the story may have caused.
Speaking after the verdict was delivered, Ronaldo said:
“I am delighted with this outcome. I take enormous pride in my professionalism. I treat my training and recovery from injury very seriously and would never have drunk and danced in a nightclub without my crutches as the Daily Telegraph falsely claimed.”