Soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nasr) visited Iran on the 19th of last month and met with painter Fatami Hamami and took a commemorative photo. /Official of the Iranian Embassy in Spain
There were reports that soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nasr) was in danger of being flogged after visiting Iran to play an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League match. This is because hugging a female fan is considered ‘adultery’ in Iran, which strictly adheres to Islamic law. Iranian authorities dismissed it as “fake news.”
Ronaldo visited Tehran, the capital of Iran, on the 18th and 19th of last month to play the AFC group stage against Persepolis, a prestigious team in the Iranian professional soccer league.
At that time, Ronaldo met Fatima Hamami, a female artist who was partially paralyzed and painted with her feet. Fatima said she was a fan of Ronaldo and gave her a hand-painted portrait of Ronaldo. Ronaldo hugged Fatima and kissed her head to thank her. This scene was also released on the official social media account of Al-Nasr, to which Ronaldo belongs.
Ronaldo kisses Iranian painter Fatami Hamami on the forehead after giving him a hug to express his gratitude. /Al-Nasr official Instagram
Afterwards, news spread through Iranian media that Ronaldo had been accused. In Iran, physical contact with an unmarried person of the opposite sex is considered an act of adultery, and Iranian lawyers who saw this scene reported Ronaldo. The New York Post of the United States and Marca of Spain, citing Iranian media, said that Ronaldo could be flogged 99 times under Iran’s judicial system. However, he said that if the parties show remorse, the judge may take leniency.
Some foreign media, including CNN Brazil, have already reported that Iranian judicial authorities sentenced Ronaldo to 100 lashes. It was reported that Ronaldo’s sentence could be carried out when he re-enters Iran.
As the news of Ronaldo’s punishment spread, the Iranian authorities took action themselves. The Iranian Embassy in Spain posted on its official social media on the 13th (local time), “We strongly reject the court’s ruling on any foreign player who visited Iran,” and added, “Ronaldo visited Iran for two days and received a great response from the people and government. “I got it,” he said. “The sincere and humane meeting with Fatami Hamami also received praise and respect from both the Iranian people and the sports authorities,” he said. “If this groundless news spreads, will interest in Palestine, who is oppressed by war crimes against humanity, be overshadowed?” “I’m concerned,” he said.
2023-10-15 00:29:00
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