Iran Denies Report That Cristiano Ronaldo Was Sentenced To 99 Lashes For Hugging Married Woman

Iran has denied viral reports that soccer icon Cristiano Ronaldo was sentenced to 99 lashes for hugging a married woman while visiting the country.

Renaldo hugged and kissed Fatima Hamimi, an Iranian artist, and thanked her for giving him two paintings on September 18.

The video showing Ronaldo’s moment with the painter was posted on the Instagram page of his Saudi Arabian team, Al-Nassr.

Al-Nassr was in Tehran to play against Persepolis during the AFC Champions League group stage match, which Al-Nassr won 2-1. 

Hamimi, who is about 85% paralyzed, paints portraits with her feet. She was one of many fans who showed their love for the soccer phenomenon.

Al-Nassr does not play in Iran for the rest of the tournament’s group stage but might face an Iranian-based team in the knockout stages.

Physical contact with a married woman in Iran is seen as adultery and can lead to severe penalties. Reports were widely circulated on X that an Iranian court had passed a sentence of 99 lashes against Ronaldo should he return to Iran.

However, the Iranian embassy in Madrid issued a statement denying the report, so Ronaldo should have no worries returning to the country.

In April 2022, Renaldo announced that he lost his baby son.