Irish mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor was released by gendarmes in Calvi, northwest Corsica around 4pm on Saturday, after he was held for questioning overnight from Friday to Saturday in connection with a complaint for alleged exhibitionism and attempted sexual aggression in a bar on Calvi port.
The complaint was filed by a young woman on Thursday. Mr McGregor’s Corsican lawyer, Emmanuelle Ramond, said the alleged events referred to occurred on the night of September 6th to 7th.
The prosecutor’s office in Bastia said in a statement that “following a complaint lodged on September 10th denouncing events which might be qualified as attempted sexual aggression and sexual exhibition, Mr Conor Anthony McGregor has been questioned by the gendarmerie, in detention.”
The prosecutor could not be reached on Sunday.
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Ms Ramond said that Mr McGregor was released before the end of his detention period, was not charged and is free to travel. “In my opinion the complaint was unfounded,” she said, adding that her client “vigorously denies the accusation of misbehaviour.”
Ms Ramond would not comment on press reports that the authorities are awaiting the result of tests which would take longer than the legal detention period, nor would she reveal the name of the bar where the incident allegedly took place. She confirmed that the investigation continues and said she was bound by judicial secrecy.
Gendarmes visited Mr McGregor on his yacht, the Dave Ocean, on Friday. It had moored several days earlier in Calvi port.
The gendarmes asked Mr McGregor to come to the Tramariccia barracks for questioning. He rode there on his bicycle and was detained overnight.
The Corse Net Info website reported that his detention created a sensation in Calvi, where Mr McGregor had been warmly received. He walked around the town surrounded by bodyguards and let local people take selfies with him.
According to the same website, Mr McGregor had proposed marriage a few days earlier to Dee Devlin, his companion since 2008, with whom he has two children. The website said Ms Devlin left Calvi with the couple’s children, and that Mr McGregor’s mother arrived on Friday.
Ms Ramond said she did not know if Ms Devlin had departed but “I think I saw Dee Devlin and the children walking around Calvi yesterday [Saturday], so I think it’s not correct.” Ms Ramond said she did not know if Mr McGregor and his family were still in Calvi on Sunday.
Mr McGregor, who is known by the nickname Notorious, held the Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight title in 2015 and 2016, and the lightweight title from 2016 until 2018. He announced his retirement from sport in June 2020.
Mr McGregor was to have participated in the Riviera Water Bike Challenge, in which teams cross the 180km stretch of water between Calvi and Monaco on pontoon bicycles. Ms Ramond said he was replaced. The goal of the race is to prevent drowning and to raise awareness of security issues at sea.
The gendarmerie said the race began at noon on Saturday, when Mr McGregor was still in detention, and arrived in Monaco on Sunday.
