The revelation that UFC star Conor McGregor is the "unnamed sportsman" linked to rape allegations in Dublin, revealed on the day that he announced his retirement from mixed martial arts, has sent social media into a tailspin.
Irish media reported earlier this year about a sexual assault which allegedly occurred in the Irish capital in December, though strict libel laws in the country prohibited naming him as a suspect as the two-weight UFC world champion has not been charged with a crime.
Also on rt.com Conor McGregor being investigated by Irish police over sexual assault - reportsHowever, Tuesday's bombshell report from The New York Times directly names McGregor as the person at the center of police inquiries - the first such time that his name has been officially reported in connection to the alleged incident, though the NYT report doesn't contain any other additional information to that which was reported by Irish media earlier this year.
McGregor being linked to a serious crime such has sent shockwaves through not just mixed martial arts, but the wider sports world.
The timing of the reporting is certainly interesting. McGregor issued a seemingly unprompted tweet overnight in which he announced his retirement from mixed martial arts. While this was first seen by some as a negotiation tactic with the UFC, it is now speculated that his apparent decision to step away from the sport may be related to Tuesday evening's report, something that has been denied by McGregor spokesperson Karen Kessler according to reports.