Cristiano Ronaldo has been warned by a Saudi lawyer over any possible punishments regarding the offensive, a crotch-grabbing gesture he made in a match for Al-Nassr that caused a lot of uproars.
An angry Cristiano Ronaldo seemed to target an X-rated gesture at fans that were shouting “Lionel Messi” towards him during Al Nassr’s 2-0 loss to Al Hilal.
However, a Saudi lawyer has now criticized Ronaldo for making an inappropriate gesture toward the opposing supporters.
What did Cristiano Ronaldo do and why wasn’t he punished?
After the final whistle, Ronaldo left the field looking very dejected. The Al-Hilal crowd booed and chanted “Messi, Messi” as the Portugal icon left the field.
And right afterward that moment, Ronaldo looked to be pointing an X-rated gesture in their direction as he grasped and shook his genitalia.
Cristiano Ronaldo makes obscene gesture to Al-Hilal fans after leaving the field defeated and under the cries of "Messi, Messi, Messi" 😮
— VAR Tático (@vartatico) April 18, 2023
📽️ @wtrx5 https://t.co/xnsyCsfPOQ
Many were calling for his expulsion from the Saudi Pro League, as the act was widely condemned throughout the Middle East. The Saudi Football Association’s Disciplinary and Ethics Committee investigated the event and concluded that no further action was necessary.
Al-Nassr did receive a 15,000 riyal fine, which is non-appealable, and was the only punishment from the committee. This was for their players’ late entrance on the field to begin the second half. But Ronaldo was spared any punishment because only official match football was examined and not the social media recordings.
Al-Nassr was certain that their iconic forward will avoid any legal action because they assert that the 38-year-old was only responding to a groin problem he suffered. Their statement was,
“Ronaldo suffers from an injury. His challenge with Gustavo Cuellar, the Al-Hilal player, started with a blow in a very sensitive area. This is confirmed information. As for the fans’ explanations, they are free to think whatever they want.”
What did the Saudi lawyer say?
The Saudi lawyer took to Twitter to criticize Ronaldo. He shared a clip of the incident and wrote that Ronaldo had no reason to do that obscene gesture and that it was a valid crime in the strict Islamic nation. He said that the Portuguese could be arrested and even deported. And expressed his intention to complain to authorities regarding this incident.
His exact words were, “I do not follow sports. Even if the crowd provoked Ronaldo, he should know how to react to it. Cristiano’s action is a crime. An obscene conduct in public is one of the offenses that can lead to an arrest and deportation if it is performed by a foreign national. So we will submit a petition to the Public Prosecution Office in this regard.”
https://twitter.com/NoufPoet/status/1648448243884494850?s=20
Cristiano Ronaldo has previously violated the Middle Eastern country’s legislation. The former Real Madrid player lives with his partner Georgina Rodriguez, although living with someone of the opposite sex without being married is illegal in Saudi Arabia. But this rule was made an exception for Ronaldo due to his fame.
Despite no punishment being announced by the Saudi football committee, the country’s law enforcement agencies could take action.
Ronaldo’s time at Al Nassr
Cristiano Ronaldo had a promising start with Al Nassr, but he has now gone three games without scoring.
Ronaldo had his second cup exit of the season on Tuesday. This was when Al Wehda beat Al Nassr 1-0 in the King Cup of Champions semi-finals. He has already been eliminated from the Saudi Super Cup in January. And now his club is three points behind league leaders Al Ittihad, despite having played one more game.
Ronaldo has eight victories, two draws, and three losses in all competitions in his four months with the club. The five-time winner has some right to be upset, having scored 11 goals in his 13 games. The Portuguese forward may not win any trophy at the end of the season and could be trophyless for the second season in a row.
Al Nassr will next face Al Raed in the Saudi Pro League on Saturday. Ronaldo will hope to score again and help his team win the next game.
