Cristiano Ronaldo: Police investigating Las Vegas rape claim seek footballer's DNA

The Portuguese star denies a claim he sexually assaulted an American woman in a hotel room in Las Vegas in June 2009.

Police investigating a rape allegation against Cristiano Ronaldo want DNA from the footballer, his lawyer has said.

The Portuguese forward was accused in September of sexually assaulting American woman Kathryn Mayorga in a hotel room in Las Vegas in June 2009 - a claim he denied.

Ronaldo, 33, said rape was "an abominable crime that goes against everything that I am and believe in".

Lawyer Peter S Christiansen has confirmed that investigators are seeking DNA from the Juventus star, but did not confirm a Wall Street Journal report that a warrant was sent to Italy to get Ronaldo to submit a sample.

Police in Las Vegas confirmed the request had been made, with spokeswoman Laura Meltzer saying: "The LVMPD is taking the same steps in this case as in any other sexual assault to facilitate the collection of DNA evidence."

The investigation was originally closed in 2009 but reopened days before Ms Mayorga filed a civil lawsuit in September.

Nike, which has had a contract with Ronaldo since 2003, said at the time it was "deeply concerned by the disturbing allegations" and would "continue to closely monitor the situation".

The former Manchester United winger - who Juventus signed from Real Madrid for €112m (£99.2m) last summer - dismissed the claims as "fake news" before issuing a full and official denial.

"Keen as I may be to clear my name, I refuse to feed the media spectacle created by people seeking to promote themselves at my expense," he said.

"My clear conscious will thereby allow me to await with tranquillity the results of any and all investigations."