Israel Adesanya ducks conviction for drink-driving

UFC star Israel Adesanya has been discharged without conviction after being caught drink-driving in a Bentley in inner city Auckland.
Adesanya appeared at the Auckland District Court on Wednesday, having earlier admitted drink-driving on August 19.
Court documents released to Stuff say the former middleweight world champ was stopped by police at a compulsory alcohol breath testing checkpoint at 11.50pm on August 19.
Police noted the 34 year-old showed signs of having been drinking. He told police officers he had drunk two cocktails with friends.
Adesanya’s blood alcohol reading showed he had 87 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.
The legal limit for drivers 20 years or older is 50 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood.
If a driver has between 51 and 80 milligrams per 100ml of blood, the driver can be fined and given 50 demerit points.
But Adesanya’s reading of 87mg meant he faced a maximum 3 months’ imprisonment or a fine not exceeding $4500.
However, his lawyer Karl Trotter said sponsorship contracts, potentially worth hundreds of thousands of dollars were in danger, should his client be convicted.
“So that’s the ballpark we are in,” Trotter said. He did not name the sponsor.
Trotter said Adesanya would also struggle to be allowed to enter Canada with a conviction and there was a Championship tournament booked for the end of the month.
“The adverse consequences, should my client be convicted, are monumental,” Trotter said.
The police opposed the application, with the prosecutor in court saying the troubles with sponsorship and travel longterm were speculative.
In his decision, Judge Peter Winter noted Adesanya had previously been given a discharge without conviction for driving while disqualified after notching up too many demerit points.
But he said Adesanya’s drink driving reading was relatively low.
Judge Winter said Adesanya had taken full responsibility for his offending and was “deeply embarrassed”.
Judge Winter also noted that Adesanya’s management had sworn an affidavit to say that the fighter may be liable to repay 50% of his sponsorship money to the sponsor if the deal was terminated due to his behaviour.
He noted the fighter had contributed to charities and had worked hard to become an international fighter.
“You’ve bought credit on the country… I accept that in all other respects, you are an exemplary citizen.”
He said Adesanya had also not sought to hide his offending from the public by applying for name suppression.
Judge Winter said he accepted that a conviction would endanger Adesanya’s sponsorship deals and, together with the travel restrictions to Canada, the consequences would be out of all proportion to the level of offending.
The judge did, however, disqualify Adesanya from driving for 6 months and ordered him to pay $1500 to an accredited drink-drive charity and undertake a stop-drink-drive programme.
Adesanya thanked Judge Winter as the Judge rose and left court.
Adesanya was also ordered to pay for the medical and analyst fees, totalling $296.
The current number one contender for the middleweight belt has previously released a statement, apologising for his decision to get behind the wheel.
“I am disappointed with my decision to drive. It was wrong. I know that people might follow me and I want them to know I do not think this behaviour is acceptable.”
There was no such apology from Adesanya after he threatened on Instagram to “rape” an opponent, ahead of a fight in 2021.
The comment drew criticism. Executive director of Rape Prevention Education (RPE) Debbi Tohill said such comments could normalise threats of sexual violence.
But Adesanya has also used his influence for good.
In the past when he has spoken out in support of the Black Lives Matter movement – before and after delivering an emotive speech on his own experiences with racism at a protest in Auckland.
He also paid for 10,000 masks and 1000 face shields to be supplied to the Whanganui District Health Board during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.