Cristiano Ronaldo is potentially facing a severe penalty for a friendly gesture in which he hugged and kissed an Iranian painter. Reports suggest he could be subjected to 99 lashes as punishment for this act.
The incident occurred during Ronaldo’s visit to Iran with his team for an Asian Champions League game against Persepolis on September 19. Fans greeted him with various gifts, including artwork by painter Fatima Hamimi, who creates art using her feet due to a disability. Hamimi had crafted two remarkable paintings of Ronaldo, and, in appreciation, he gave her a kiss on the forehead.
However, in Iran, such gestures are viewed as adultery if one is in a relationship, and Ronaldo is in a relationship with his longtime girlfriend, Georgina Rodriguez. Consequently, several lawsuits were reportedly filed against the 38-year-old soccer star following the incident.
According to reports in Iran, Ronaldo could potentially be forgiven by a judge if the actions are deemed non-punishable or if he expresses remorse.
This incident adds to Ronaldo’s ongoing legal challenges. Recently, his lawyers were back in court on October 4 in a legal dispute regarding hush money he paid in 2010 to a woman who had accused him of sexual assault in Las Vegas.
The woman’s legal team asserts that Ronaldo owes her a significantly larger sum than the $370,000 he had paid earlier because someone from his side violated the confidentiality agreement. Ronaldo’s legal team maintains that the sexual encounter was consensual, the agreement remains valid, and the terms should remain confidential.
