Cristiano Ronaldo will not be penalized for the obscene gesture to his crotch that caused so much controversy in his last game with Al-Nassr.
The Portuguese superstar had a Tuesday to forget against Al-Hilal, and his antics brought him under scrutiny once again. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner was lucky enough to escape with just one yellow card after tackling a WWE-style opponent before taking on more taunts from Lionel Messi in the stands.
Ronaldo appeared to respond by grabbing his crotch in the direction of his attackers, sparking widespread condemnation in the Middle East and calls for him to be banned from the Saudi Pro League. The Ethics and Disciplinary Commission of the Saudi Football Association investigated the incident and issued its verdict, finding that no further action is needed.
The only sanction imposed by the commission is a fine of 15,000 riyals, which is final, on Al-Nassr for the late arrival of his players on the pitch before the start of the second half. Ronaldo escaped punishment because only the official football of the match was reviewed, rather than the videos posted on social media.
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THE CLUB’S EXPLANATION: Al-Nassr have always been confident that their iconic striker, the highest paid player in the world, would avoid any action as they claim the 38-year-old was responding to an injury he suffered in the groin area. They said: “Ronaldo has an injury. His challenge with Al-Hilal player Gustavo Cuéllar started with a blow to a very sensitive area. This is confirmed information. As for the fans’ explanations, they are free to think what they want.”
Source: Goal