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Cristiano Ronaldo certainly didn’t need to take his talents to Saudi Arabia after his time with Manchester United came to an end in 2022, but he was unable to resist the very lucrative contract he got from Al-Nassr FC of the Saudi Pro League. However, he’s reportedly learned about the puritanical nature of the Middle East the hard way after hugging a woman in Iran.
Ronaldo officially joined the club at the start of 2023, and in September, they traveled to Iran for an Asian Champions League showdown with Persepolis in Tehran. The country rolled out the red carpet for the international superstar, who received a number of gifts that were presented to him during the trip.
That includes a couple of paintings that were given to him by Fatima Hamimi, a partially paralyzed artist who uses her feet to transform her canvases. He got the chance to meet her in person while accepting the portraits of himself and gave her a hug to express his gratitude.
Unfortunately, he may have violated Iran’s adultery laws with that gesture of appreciation, as Mundo Deportivo reports it’s illegal for a man to touch another woman in the country while in a relationship (Ronaldo has been linked to Georgina Rodríguez since 2016 and has had two children with her).
The video of Ronaldo’s interaction with Hamimi reportedly generated a number of complaints, and multiple Iranian outlets say he’s been sentenced to receive 99 lashes with a whip as a result.
Ronaldo would obviously have to willingly enter Iran to actually be subjected to that corporal punishment, and while Al-Nassr doesn’t have any games scheduled in the country, that could change based on the results of the ongoing Asian Champions League tournament.
It also appears there’s a clause concerning “ignorance of the law” that could potentially get him off of the hook, and Mundo Deportivo asserts he also be spared if he expresses remorse. With that said, he may just want to avoid returning to Iran—and he should definitely not hug any more women while there if he does go back.