Recent reports circulating in Iranian media alleged that football Christano Ronaldo was facing brutal punishment of '99 lashings' for purported adultery in Iran. However, the Iranian Embassy in Spain has come forward to debunk these claims and confirmed them as fake news.
Ronaldo, who plays for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, found himself in hot water over a heartfelt gesture during a visit to Iran last month. He had a wholesome encounter with 85% paralyzed painter Fatima Hamimi, who gifted him some of her ultra-realistic paintings. In a moment of gratitude, the star footballer embraced the artist and planted a peck on her forehead. A photograph capturing this moment incited concerns among Iranian lawyers, who accused Ronaldo of adultery based on the image.
Notably, in Iran, any physical contact with a woman outside of one's marriage is considered adultery. Therefore, Ronaldo's friendly gesture created a substantial controversy in the country. Several media outlets reported that the football icon has purportedly been sentenced to '99 lashes' as punishment for his actions.
However, the Iranian government has denied these claims. Taking to X, the Iranian Embassy in Spain, labelled the claims as nothing more than baseless and sensationalised misinformation. The embassy strongly denied any reports of sentencing against Ronaldo or any other international athlete in Iran. It also expressed deep concern over the publication of these ill-founded stories and emphasised the potential damage it may inflict on genuine matters such as crimes against humanity and war crimes faced by oppressed nations, particularly referring to the Palestinian people.
"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 humane meeting with Fatemeh Hamami was also praised and admired by both the people and the country's sports authorities," the embassy added.
Notably, Ronaldo travelled to Iran on September 18 and 19 to participate in Al-Nassr's Asian Champions League game against Persepolis.
