Ronaldo in transvestite brawl
2008-04-29 07:54
Rio De Janeiro - Police said on Monday they were investigating allegations by three transvestites that Brazilian soccer star and AC Milan forward Ronaldo threatened to harm them after he took them to a Rio de Janeiro motel.
Police told a news conference they were also looking into
an accusation by the 31-year-old player that one of the three
men tried to extort $29 600 in return for not
telling the media about the incident.
Ronaldo, who is back in his hometown recovering from an
injury, left a nightclub in the posh Barra da Tijuca
neighbourhood early on Monday with three call girls, only to
find out at the motel they were men, according to
authorities.
He then offered each of them $592 to wrap up
the matter, but only two of them accepted his offer, police
said.
"I have to check both sides of the story, the
transvestites' version and Ronaldo's," Carlos Augusto Nogueira,
chief of the police precinct investigating the incident, told a
news conference.
"Ronaldo said he is not good in the head and that he is
going through psychological problems because of his recent
surgery," he said.
In a statement, Ronaldo said he was a victim of extortion
and would take all possible steps to clear his name, according
to the website of the Globo television network.
Representatives for Ronaldo were not immediately available
for comment.
The three-time World Player of the Year suffered a
career-threatening knee injury in February in a match against
Livorno. Ronaldo suffered a similar injury in his right knee
when playing for Inter Milan in 2000.