The Iranian embassy in Madrid has strongly refuted recent claims that international football icon Cristiano Ronaldo has been sentenced to receive 99 lashes on charges of adultery.
The allegations emerged following Ronaldo hugging Iranian painter Fatemeh Hamami, who is 85 percent paralyzed and an ardent fan of the football legend.
This happened when Ronaldo was traveling with the Saudi side, Al-Nassr, during their AFC Champions League match against Persepolis in Iran last month.
Ronaldo received a painting of himself as a gift from the artist and embraced her warmly while posing for a picture.
However, reports from multiple sources reported that several lawyers in Iran filed a criminal complaint about the hug, asserting that physical contact with a woman who is not one’s spouse constitutes adultery in the country.
These allegations also claimed that the Iranian judiciary acted swiftly and sentenced the 38-year-old Portuguese star to 99 lashes.
Iranian embassy refuted claims of Cristiano Ronaldo being sentenced to receive 99 lashes
However, the Iranian embassy in Madrid has moved to categorically dismiss these rumors, emphasizing that Ronaldo’s meeting with the artist had the full support of Iranian officials.
In an official statement, the embassy stated, “We strongly deny the issuance of any sentence against any international athlete in Iran.”
The embassy expressed concerns about the publication of such baseless news, highlighting that it could overshadow the critical issues of crimes against humanity and war crimes against the oppressed Palestinian nation.
The statement from the embassy further clarified: “It should be noted that Cristiano Ronaldo traveled to Iran on September 18 and 19 to play in an official soccer match and was very well received by the people and the authorities.
“His sincere and compassionate meeting with Fatemeh Hamami was celebrated and admired by both the people and the country’s sports authorities.”
Cristiano Ronaldo guides Portugal to Euro 2024
This controversy came before Cristiano Ronaldo’s recent success, where he scored twice to secure a 3-2 victory for Portugal against Slovakia in Porto.
This victory secured Portugal’s place at Euro 2024, with Ronaldo scoring a first-half penalty and a second-half tap-in, marking his 125th international goal.
Ronaldo joined Saudi giants Al-Nassr after a fallout with Erik Ten Hag at Old Trafford, home to Manchester United.
Recall that after the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Ronaldo secured a ground-breaking move to the Middle East club.
The former Sporting Lisbon, Juventus and Real Madrid star and attacker has scored 24 goals and provided seven assists in 24 appearances for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League since his arrival.
His performances in the Saudi Pro League, SPL have excited the club’s owners, and according to multiple reports, he is reportedly offered Ronaldo a move to Newcastle United, a side owned by the owners of Al-Nassr.
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 726 goals and provided 231 assists in 979 club appearances so far in his illustrious career.
