Nouf bin Ahmed, a Saudi Arabian lawyer, has vowed to file a complaint against Cristiano Ronaldo after the 37-year-old player appeared to grab his genitals while walking off the pitch on Tuesday.
The incident happened after Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr suffered a 2-0 defeat to Odion Ighalo’s Al-Hilal on Tuesday night.
Ronaldo’s action was deemed as an insulting gesture toward fans after his team’s 2-0
A video released on social media seemed to show the 38-year-old grabbing his crotch as he left the pitch in response to fans chanting the name of his rival Lionel Messi, Daily Mail reports.
While reacting, Ahmed said Ronaldo should be punished for his “crime of public indecency”.
According to her, the crime entails arrest and deportation if committed by a foreigner.
“It is considered a crime of public dishonour, and it is one of the crimes that entail arrest and deportation if committed by a foreigner,” Ahmed said on Twitter, as she vowed to file a complaint to the Saudi Prosecutor’s Office for his ‘crime of public indecency’.
Ronaldo has also drawn heavy criticism from journalists in Saudi Arabia, with Ozman Abu Bakr suggesting Al-Nassr should terminate his £175m-a-year contract following his ‘immoral and impolite gesture against the spectators’, the report added.
However, according to Marca, Al-Nassr sources have defended Ronaldo by claiming he made the gesture after he ‘received a blow during the match’ to his genitals.
The controversial incident came after a damaging defeat for Dinko Jelicic’s side that saw them concede further ground in the title race.
Second-placed Al-Nassr are now three points behind leaders Al-Ittihad having played a game more, and with Al-Shabab in third, three points behind them with a game in hand.
Ronaldo was furious as he stormed off the pitch – and footage online seems to show him grabbing his crotch as supporters inside the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh sung ‘Messi! Messi! Messi!’ repeatedly in what was undoubtedly an attempt to taunt CR7.
As he headed for the tunnel, the former Manchester United player appeared to put his hand in his genital area and pull upwards.
The clip shows Ronaldo trudging off the field and past the media zone, before holding his crotch and moving it around.
While at the end of the video, he appears to look up toward the chanting fans with a grin on his face.
A second video on social media shows him doing the same thing just after crossing the touchline.
Earlier in the game, Ronaldo made headlines after bringing down an opponent in a chokehold.
Meanwhile, his club has responded to Ronaldo’s apparent indecent gesture, which has led to calls for the player to be expelled from Saudi Arabia.
After being booked for a tackle, the Portugal captain reacted to Lionel Messi chants from home supporters by grabbing his crotch in their direction.
The obscene gesture had caused widespread offence, especially as it happened during the holy month of Ramadan.
A trend has emerged online seeking to remove Ronaldo from Saudi Arabia under the title “Expelling the fan’s abuser”.
But Al-Nassr have attempted to play down the gesture, claiming it is due to a “sensitive” injury in the groin region.
The club’s board clarified the incident to journalist Muhammed Al-Enezi, who said in a statement on Wednesday: “Ronaldo suffers from an injury. His challenge with Gustavo Cuellar, the Al-Hilal player, started with a blow in a very sensitive area. This is confirmed information. As for the fans’ explanations, they are free to think whatever they want.”
