DUBLIN • Conor McGregor, one of the biggest stars of mixed martial arts promotion The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), is being investigated over a sexual assault allegation, the second such case in less than 12 months, according to people familiar with the matter.

The most recent allegation relates to a complaint that a woman in her 20s was sexually assaulted in a car parked outside a Dublin pub last week, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of Irish laws surrounding investigations.

The Irishman, who is one of the world's highest-paid athletes, has, however, not been charged, and Irish police have yet to interview him about the allegation.

He was already waiting to hear whether he would be charged following a complaint that he assaulted a woman in Dublin last December, with local authorities passing the findings of that probe to the national prosecutor's office earlier this year.

McGregor was arrested in January, questioned by the police and released pending further investigation, as per the usual protocol in criminal investigations in Ireland, where a formal charge does not necessarily follow an arrest.

According to website MMA Fighting, Irish police confirmed there was an active probe, but "owing to the nature of the investigation, we will not be commenting further at this time".

A statement read: "Gardai in Crumlin in Dublin are investigating an alleged sexual assault of a woman in her 20s that occurred on Friday Oct 11, 2019, at approximately 9pm on Drimnagh Road, Dublin 12. Investigations (are) ongoing and no arrests at this time."

A publicist for McGregor said: "Conor is frequently the subject of rumours. He emphatically denies any report accusing him of sexual assault."

The 31-year-old recently appeared in court to answer charges of assaulting an elderly man at a Dublin pub in April, with another hearing scheduled for next month.

McGregor has participated in only one UFC fight since 2016, when he tapped out to undefeated Russian lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in Las Vegas last October.

NYTIMES