Cristiano Ronaldo is facing calls to be deported from Saudi Arabia for “public indecency” after grabbing his crotch at the end of a recent game.
The Portuguese forward appeared to make a gesture while leaving the field following his Al-Nassr side’s 2-0 defeat at Al-Hilal last week.
Ronaldo, 38, faced chants of “Messi, Messi” from rival fans as he made his way back to the dressing room.
Following Ronaldo’s crotch grab, a Saudi lawyer took to Twitter to announce that she would be presenting a petition to the Public Ministry of Saudi Arabia demanding his deportation.
Prof Nouf bin Ahmed, who also works with the United Nations, wrote on social media: “I don’t follow the sport. Even if the crowd provoked Ronaldo, he didn’t know how to react.
“Cristiano’s behaviour is a crime. An indecent public act is one of the crimes that allows for arrest and deportation if committed by a foreigner. We will present a petition to the Public Ministry regarding the issue.”
Other fans showed their displeasure on social media and the issue was discussed for hours on Saudi Arabia’s leading sports show Action Ya Dawri.
But Al-Nassr insiders claimed that Ronaldo grabbed his crotch because he’d received a knock in that area during the match.
The Saudi club confirmed this in a subsequent statement, which read: “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.”
As per Spanish outlet El Desmarque, Saudi reporter Ozman Abu Bakr called Ronaldo’s action “an immoral and rude gesture against the spectators” – and called for his contract to be terminated.
