Ronaldo asks US court to dismiss rape case or OK mediation

Cristiano Ronaldo's lawyers are asking a U.S. judge to order closed-door arbitration or to dismiss a Nevada woman's lawsuit seeking damages on an accusation the soccer star raped her in Las Vegas in 2009. Attorneys representing Ronaldo's accuser, Kathryn Mayorga, didn't immediately respond Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019, to messages about two Oct. 14 court filings in the case stemming from a 2010 confidentiality agreement and $375,000 hush-money settlement. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 7, 2019, file photo, is Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo prior to playing their Euro 2020 group B qualifying soccer match between Serbia and Portugal, in Belgrade, Serbia. Cristiano Ronaldo's lawyers are asking a U.S. judge to order closed-door arbitration or to dismiss a Nevada woman's lawsuit seeking damages on an accusation the soccer star raped her in Las Vegas in 2009. Attorneys representing Ronaldo's accuser, Kathryn Mayorga, didn't immediately respond Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019, to messages about two Oct. 14 court filings in the case stemming from a 2010 confidentiality agreement and $375,000 hush-money settlement. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic, File)

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo’s lawyers are asking a U.S. judge to dismiss a Nevada woman’s lawsuit alleging the soccer star raped her in Las Vegas in 2009 or to order closed-door settlement talks.

Attorneys representing Ronaldo’s accuser, Kathryn Mayorga, didn’t immediately respond Tuesday to messages seeking comment about Oct. 14 court filings in the case stemming from a 2010 confidentiality agreement and a $375,000 hush-money payment.

Ronaldo’s lawyer in Las Vegas, Peter Christiansen, declined comment.

Ronaldo’s attorneys maintain Ronaldo had consensual sex with Mayorga.

A federal judge hasn’t set a hearing date on the bid to stop court proceedings and invoke a settlement provision calling for private mediation.

The Associated Press generally doesn’t name people who say they’re victims of sexual assault, but Mayorga gave consent through her lawyers to be named.