PITTSBURGH Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger formally introduced his retirement on Thursday after 18 NFL seasons.
The reward for the Pittsburgh favourite as he exits the league, nonetheless, has drawn criticism because the soccer star's darkish previous and rape allegations have been highlighted.
Roethlisberger, who's now married with three children, was accused of sexual assault by two girls however neither of the allegations led to felony costs.
He additionally suffered a 2006 bike crash during which he was accused of reckless conduct and has been accused of being tough with the media and publicly calling out his teammates.
The primary allegation of sexual assault made in opposition to 39-year-old "Large Ben" was in 2009 when a girl filed a civil lawsuit in opposition to him and a Nevada lodge the place she had labored.
The lady alleged within the swimsuit that she was an worker at Lake Tahoe lodge and on line casino the earlier 12 months when Roethlisberger was a visitor throughout a star golf match.
The swimsuit claimed that the NFL star tricked her into his bed room in July 2008 by claiming that his TV was damaged.
He then allegedly blocked the door as she tried to go away, grabbed her, and tried to kiss her.
Regardless of the lady telling Roethlisberger "please do not," he pushed her onto the mattress and raped her, the swimsuit acknowledged, based on Vice.
Roethlisberger denied the claims and a felony case was by no means introduced.
"Saturday was the primary that I discovered of her accusations," the Pittsburgh Steeler mentioned on the time.
"I might by no means, ever drive myself on a girl."
Eight staff have been additionally named within the swimsuit, who the lady mentioned defamed her and added to her emotional misery.
The lady claimed she was hospitalized within the months after the alleged assault for remedy for nervousness and despair.
She additionally claimed that she was discouraged from submitting a felony grievance after the resort's chief of safety mentioned she was "overreacting."
'COVER UP'
The swimsuit accused the staff of protecting up the incident.
A former coworker mentioned in an affidavit that the lady had bragged about sleeping with Roethlisberger, Vice stories.
The lady had provided to drop the case if $100,000 was donated to a charity for abused girls and Roethlisberger wrote an apology letter - however this was refused.
He confronted no punishment from the NFL and the swimsuit was settled out of court docket in January 2012.
The second accusation got here only a 12 months later when a 20-year-old faculty scholar claimed he raped her in a toilet stall of a nightclub in Georgia in 2010.
She mentioned that Roethlisberger had been shopping for her and her mates pictures and that his bodyguard then grabbed her arm and escorted her right into a hallway.
The lady claimed that the quarterback was ready there with "his penis out of his pants."
“I informed him it wasn’t OK, no, we don’t want to do that and I proceeded to rise up and attempt to go away,” she mentioned, based on ESPN.
“I went to the primary door I noticed, which occurred to be a toilet.”
'I STILL SAID NO'
She mentioned she tried to run into the close by toilet however that Roethlisberger adopted her and raped her.
“I nonetheless mentioned no, this isn't OK, and he then had intercourse with me,” she mentioned. “He mentioned it was OK. He then left with out saying something.”
A subsequent medical examination discovered that the lady had “superficial laceration and bruising and slight bleeding within the genital space.”
Nonetheless, no semen was detected.
The one police officer who had questioned Roethlisberger had reportedly met him on the night time of the alleged rape and requested him for an image.
The cop had additionally allegedly referred to as the accuser a “drunken bitch,” The Guardian stories.
The case was later dropped as authorities mentioned there was inadequate proof.
NO CHARGES
But the alleged sufferer's lawyer had additionally written a letter to the district lawyer asking for a cease to prosecution.
They mentioned that whereas she was not recanting her story, she didn't need the "extraordinary media consideration" that the case would obtain.
"[H]advert [the accuser] not written and brought that place, the sufferer, her household, and her legal professionals, that they didn't need us to prosecute the matter in any respect—and so they made it crystal clear within the letter—an sincere reply is I might nonetheless be asserting the identical outcome," the Baldwin County district lawyer mentioned in April 2010.
"We, based mostly on the proof right here, do not have sufficient proof to prosecute."
After this accusation, Roethlisberger was hit with a six-game suspension from the NFL.
But he was allowed again to play after 4 video games for "good conduct."
“You've got informed me and the Steelers that you're dedicated to creating higher selections,” Commissioner Roger Goodell mentioned in a letter to the Steelers QB.
“Your actions over the previous a number of months have been in keeping with that promise and you will need to proceed to honor that dedication.”
His different teammates had mentioned the suspension was "justified," nonetheless.
Star receiver Hines Ward mentioned: “Whenever you’re within the quarterback place, everyone seems to be to you and there are particular conditions you'll be able to’t put your self in.”
MOTORBIKE CRASH
In addition to the allegations of assault, Roethlisberger suffered a bike crash in 2006 that left him with severe facial accidents.
He was reportedly not carrying helmet on the time and didn't have a legitimate licence.
Roethlisberger's soccer profession ended on January 17 together with his final recreation ending in a 42-21 loss to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.
His retirement was introduced on social media by his official web site on Thursday.
It had been predicted after the Steelers final recreation.
"I do not know put into phrases what the sport of soccer has meant to me and what a blessing it has been," Roethlisberger mentioned.
"Whereas I do know with confidence I've given my all to the sport, I'm overwhelmed with gratitude for all it has given me. A boy from Finley, Ohio with NFL goals, developed at Oxford at Miami College, blessed with the dignity of 18 seasons as a Pittsburgh Steeler and a spot to name house.
"The journey has been exhilarating, outlined by relationships and fueled by a spirit of competitors," he added.
"But, the time has come to wash out my locker, dangle up my cleats, and proceed to be all I might be to my spouse and youngsters.
"I retire from soccer a really grateful man."
He ends his profession as a two-time Tremendous Bowl winner and is predicted to grow to be a member of the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame.
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