Cristiano Ronaldo has been suspended for one match for making an alleged offensive gesture during a Saudi Arabia league game while playing for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.
After Al-Nassr defeated Riyadh rival Al-Shabab 3-2 on
Sunday, video footage appeared to show Ronaldo cupping his ear and repeatedly
thrusting his hand forward near his pelvis, in a gesture that seemed to be
aimed at Al-Shabab fans.
Background chants of “Messi,” referencing Ronaldo’s
longstanding soccer rival Lionel Messi, could be heard.
The Disciplinary and Ethics Committee of the Saudi Arabia
Football Federation (SAFF) committee announced the ban on social media early
Thursday morning local time. Al-Nassr’s next league game is at home to Al-Hazm
on Thursday.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United star will also
have to pay a fine of 20,000 Saudi Riyals ( $5,333) to Al-Shabab, to cover the
costs of the club filing the complaint, and half of that amount to the
federation.
The committee said that the decision was not open to appeal.
While the incident was not captured by television cameras,
the actions of Ronaldo, who scored a first-half penalty in the game, were
widely criticized in Saudi Arabia by former players and commentators.
According to reports in the Saudi Arabia media, the
39-year-old told the committee that the gesture was one of victory and common
in Europe.
It is not the first time that the Portuguese forward has
been at the center of controversy since joining Al-Nassr. Last April, upon
leaving the field after a game against Al-Hilal, Ronaldo appeared to grab his
genitals as fans chanted Messi’s name. On that occasion, Al-Nassr said that the
forward had sustained a groin injury in the match.
Ronaldo, who moved to the Riyadh-based club in December
2022, has a league-leading 22 goals. His scored the opener against Al Shabab, a
first-half penalty.
Al Nassr is also in the quarterfinals of the Asian Champions
League, a tournament it has never won. -AP