After making what appeared to be an offensive gesture during a match in Saudi Arabia, superstar football player Cristiano Ronaldo received a one-match suspension.
In front of the opposing supporters, Ronaldo was seen repeatedly extending his hand forward toward his lower abdomen and cupping his ear.
Shortly after Ronaldo’s club, al Nassr, defeated al Shabab 3-2 in the Saudi Pro League on Sunday, the event took place.
Ronaldo seemed to be pointing his gesture toward the opposing fans, who were heard chanting “Messi,” a reference to the 39-year-old’s longtime foe.
Late on Wednesday evening, the suspension was made public. Thursday is Al Nassr’s next league match.
Additionally, Ronaldo must pay a fine of 20,000 Saudi riyals (£4,210), and the Saudi Arabia Football Federation’s Disciplinary and Ethics Committee said that there is no right of appeal for this ruling.
Ronaldo signed a free agency contract with al Nassr in late 2022, and this is not the first time the ultra-conservative Saudi Arabian government has scrutinized his on-field behavior.
He looked to clutch his genitals as he headed to the dugout following his team’s defeat in April of last year.
He stuffed an opposing team’s scarf down his shorts when it was thrown at him during the Riyadh Season Cup final earlier this month. He was heading for the tunnel.
