Former UFC middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya, faces a potential three-month jail term after pleading guilty to drunk driving in a New Zealand court.
According to ESPN, Adesanya was driving back home after a dinner with friends in Auckland on August 19 and underwent a Random Breath Test which revealed he had had 87 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood in his body which is beyond he legal limit of 50 milligrams in New Zealand.
The 34-year-old Nigerian-born has since apologised for his behaviour, accepting it was inappropriate of him to do so.
“I want to apologise to the community, my family and my team for the decision I made to get behind the wheel after drinking at a dinner,” Adesanya said in a statement as per ESPN.
“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 behavior is acceptable.”
New Zealand’s maximum penalty for drink driving is three months in jail or a $2,680 fine. Adesanya will return to court for sentencing on January 10, 2024.
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I hate loosing, but I love living. What a life‼️ pic.twitter.com/PQ6R0YwZ56— Israel Adesanya (@stylebender) September 10, 2023
Adesanya, who is a two-time UFC middleweight champion, lost his title to American Sean Strickland in an unanimous decision at UFC 293 in Sydney a fortnight ago.
