Portuguese football icon Cristiano Ronaldo has been slapped with a one-match ban and a fine of 20,000 Saudi riyals following an incident during a Saudi Pro League (SPL) match against al Shabab last Sunday.
The Disciplinary and Ethics Committee of the Saudi Arabia Football Federation announced the decision on Thursday, stating that Ronaldo cannot appeal against the ruling.
The incident occurred after Ronaldo’s team, Al Nassr, secured a 3-2 victory over al Shabab in the SPL. In response to chants from home fans invoking the name of his longtime rival Lionel Messi, Ronaldo was seen making an obscene gesture by cupping his ear and thrusting his hand forward near his pelvis.
This is not the first time Ronaldo has reacted strongly to gestures of support for Messi during his matches. Last year, after a defeat to Al-Hilal, Ronaldo drew controversy by responding to opposition fans waving Messi shirts by making a similar gesture, which circulated widely on social media.
Significantly, Ronaldo’s presence in the Saudi Pro League has been marked by significant attention and controversy. Earlier, following a loss in the Riyadh Season Cup final, Ronaldo made headlines for the wrong reasons when an Al-Hilal shirt was thrown at him as he walked back to the tunnel.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo is currently the highest-paid athlete, with reported earnings of $200 million per year, according to various news outlets.
