In the realm of football luminaries, Cristiano Ronaldo stands tall as a football legend. The winner of the Ballon d’Or award 5 times is a source of inspiration for many young talents. However, beyond his incredible career on the pitch, his life has been marred by controversy and legal entanglements.
Recently, he was charged with the Iranian adultery charges, 99 lashes. Today, we will be digging deeper into the details of the truth behind the charges and the incident. We will also be looking further into what 99 lashes means. Let’s start!
On 13 October 2023, a few news outlets revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo was reportedly sentenced to 99 lashes by Iranian courts for embracing an unmarried woman named Fatemeh Hamami. According to Iranian law, 99 lashes is a severe form of corporal punishment for whipping 99 times. Rumor is that the sentence will be carried out if Ronaldo returns to Iran, but the Iranian embassy in Madrid denied the charges by releasing an official statement.
What Is the Story Behind Cristiano Ronaldo’s Iranian Adultery Charges?
Football is considered one of the most favorite games that is watched by fans all over the world. Fans share joys and sorrows with their star footballers. Few people believe that a football match can solve international disputes between countries. Well, that is a bit exaggerated, but you get the point!
Recently, the legendary Portuguese football player Cristiano Ronaldo traveled to Iran in September 2023 for official soccer matches. During his visit to the country, he met an Iranian specially-abled female artist, Fatemeh Hamami.
Fatemeh had made 2 portraits of the star to present to him during their meeting in Dubai. In return, Ronaldo reciprocated the gesture by gifting her with a signed jersey. Both took a photo where Fatemeh, who is a specially-abled person with 85 percent paralysis, was sitting in the wheelchair while Ronaldo stood behind her.
During the meetup, the footballer is said to have warmly ‘embraced Fatemeh while kissing her on the cheek.’ This gesture of the player caught significant attention in various reports. Soon, news broke out that he was sentenced to 99 lashes by Iranian courts for adultery charges pressed by Iranian lawyers.
However, the Iranian embassy in Madrid denied the claims of the charges by releasing an official document. The embassy announced,
“We strongly deny the issuance of any sentence against any international athlete in Iran. It is of concern that the publication of such ill founded news could cast a shadow over crimes against humanity and war crimes against the oppressed Palestinian nation.”
They further reported,
“It should be noted that Cristiano Ronaldo traveled to Iran on September 18 and 19 to play in an official soccer match and was very well received by the people and the authorities. His sincere and humane meeting with Fatemeh Hamami was also praised and admired by both the people and the country’s sports authorities.”
Additionally, Fatemeh also came forward and supported the player for his behavior towards the artist. She said,
“Ronaldo embraced me with a sense of humanity, sincerity, and tolerance, and this is the sign of his kindness, honor, and humanity, and through this official page, I completely deny and deny all the news related to Ronaldo’s complaint and wholeheartedly. I love Ronaldo and want the best from God for him.”
What Does 99 Lashes Mean?
The issue regarding the claims against Ronaldo has been proven false and baseless. However, yet another question that made fans curious was the ‘Iranian law of 99 Lashes.’ In Iranian law, when a married man touches an unmarried woman, it is considered adultery.
Hence, the man may be sentenced to 99 lashes, which means he will be whipped 99 times. According to Refworld, “lashes” means corporal punishment. In Ronaldo’s scenario, several lawyers got offended by his behavior when took a picture with a female fan, leading to charges against him.
Fans are confused by the situation because few news outlets are still busy spreading fake news. However, we can firmly conclude while taking the Iranian embassy’s words in light that it is fake news.
What is your stance on the situation? Share your opinions with us in the comment section.
