• Nike says it is “deeply concerned” by the rape allegation facing the star soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo.
  • EA Sports has expressed similar alarm over the accusations, but Ronaldo – who denies rape – has received support from his club, Juventus FC, and his national soccer federation.
  • Ronaldo is included on the Juventus squad for the coming Serie A match against Udinese, but it is unclear whether he will play.

Nike, the massive sports retail company that has a $1 billion agreement with Cristiano Ronaldo, says it is “deeply concerned” by the rape allegation that has been made against him.

Kathryn Mayorga, a 34-year-old American, accused Ronaldo of raping her without a condom in Las Vegas in 2009, according to a report in the German publication Der Spiegel last week.

Ronaldo “firmly” denied the allegation on Twitter and said he refused “to feed the media spectacle created by people seeking to promote themselves at my expense.”

The story “disheartened” Save the Children, a charity Ronaldo works closely with – and now more high-profile partners have issued statements to say they are alarmed by the news.

Nike, whose relationship with Ronaldo began in 2003, said it was "deeply concerned by the disturbing allegations and will continue to closely monitor the situation," according to the BBC.

EA Sports, the video game publisher behind the wildly popular "FIFA" soccer series, has had Ronaldo on the cover of many of its editions. "We have seen the concerning report that details allegations against Cristiano Ronaldo," EA Sports told the Associated Press, according to the BBC.

"We are closely monitoring the situation, as we expect cover athletes and ambassadors to conduct themselves in a manner that is consistent with EA's values," the company said.

The allegation has polarized those close to Ronaldo, as the forward's club, Juventus FC, issued a statement via Twitter confirming its support.

"Ronaldo has shown in recent months his great professionalism and dedication, which is appreciated by everyone at Juventus," the statement said. "The events allegedly dating back to almost 10 years ago do not change this opinion, which is shared by everyone who has come into contact with this great champion."

The Juventus statement follows support from Ronaldo's national team.

In a statement to the Portuguese news agency Lusa, which was forwarded to Business Insider and translated from Portuguese, Fernando Gomes, the president of the Portugal Football Federation said: "In my name and in the name of the Portuguese Football Federation, I express total solidarity with Cristiano Ronaldo, in a circumstance where his good name and reputation are at risk.

"I believe in the statements he issued yesterday, not only because I defend innocence as a basic principle of the rule of law, but also because I have known Ronaldo for many years and I am a witness to his good character."

Though Ronaldo has been excluded from Portugal's latest squad, he is on Juventus' roster for the club's next Serie A game, scheduled for Saturday. It remains to be seen whether he will play.