Gable Steveson, a UFC newcomer and Olympic wrestling champion mentored by Jon Jones, was arrested in June 2019 along with a teammate on charges of group sexual assault involving a foreign object. The alleged victim went to a hospital and immediately filed accusations against the two members of the US wrestling team. The charges were ultimately dropped due to a legal loophole that prevented the victim's testimony from being admitted because she had voluntarily consumed alcohol the evening of the incident. There were no witnesses besides the victim and the two accused athletes, and their accounts contradicted each other. While there was no direct proof of Steveson's guilt, the law was changed following this case to ensure victim testimony is now considered under all circumstances.
Gable Steveson, the Olympic wrestling champion who has been working toward a UFC career under the mentorship of Jon Jones, faced serious sexual assault allegations stemming from an incident in June 2019.
According to the report, Steveson and a teammate were arrested on charges of group sexual assault involving a foreign object. The alleged victim sought medical attention at a hospital immediately following the incident and filed accusations against both members of the US wrestling team at that time.
The charges were ultimately dropped, but not due to an absence of concern from prosecutors. A legal loophole prevented the alleged victim's testimony from being admitted as evidence because she had voluntarily consumed alcohol on the evening in question. With no witnesses other than the victim and the two accused athletes, and with their accounts directly contradicting one another, the case could not proceed without that testimony.
No direct proof of Steveson's guilt was established through the legal process.
Why it matters
- The case resulted in a tangible legal change: the law was subsequently amended to ensure that a victim's testimony is now admissible regardless of whether alcohol was voluntarily consumed.
- The incident predates Steveson's entry into MMA and surfaces as he prepares to launch a professional UFC career.
- The lack of a conviction and the procedural nature of the dismissal mean the allegations remain unresolved in public record rather than adjudicated on their merits.
The legal reform that followed the case represents a direct consequence of its outcome, closing the loophole that prevented the alleged victim's account from being heard in court.
