A video of footballer Cristiano Ronaldo embracing a differently abled artist in Iran and presenting her with an Al Nassr football club jersey is circulating with false claims that Iran is punishing the Portuguese footballer with 99 lashes for touching a woman and accusing him of adultery.
BOOM found the claim to be false. Iranian Embassy in Spain refuted the claim and denied the issuance of any court ruling against any international athlete in their country.
The viral clip shows a Ronaldo fan sitting in a wheelchair, presenting her paintings to the footballer as a gesture of affection. Ronaldo reciprocates with a hug and gifts her an Al Nassr club jersey bearing the inscription 'Ronaldo 7'.
The video is being shared with the caption, "Iran sentences Cristiano Ronaldo to 99 lashes for touching a single woman Fátima Hamami (a painter with 85% body paralysis) who gave him a painting. Islamic courts accuse him of Adultery. The sentence will be carried out if he returns to the country.."
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Right-wing outlet OpIndia also amplified the same claim and published an article with the headline 'Iran sentences Cristiano Ronaldo to 99 lashes for committing ‘adultery’: Here’s how he can avoid the punishment'.
An excerpt from the report states, "Reportedly, the Iranian judiciary might impose a sentence of 99 lashes on Cristiano Ronaldo during his future visits to Iran. However, a judge could potentially pardon the sentence if the actions are deemed non-punishable or if those involved express remorse."
The story was updated later.
Fact Check
BOOM did a related keyword search and found that Iranian Embassy in Spain denied the reports of Ronaldo facing '99 lashes' for touching a woman in Iran.
The embassy, from its verified X (formerly known as Twitter) handle, refuted the claim in the post, "We strongly deny the issuance of any court ruling against any international athlete in Iran. It is a matter of concern that the publication of such unfounded news could overshadow crimes against humanity and war crimes against the oppressed Palestinian nation."
The clarification further adds, "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."
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Iranian news outlet IRNA on September 19, 2023, published a report about the meeting. An excerpt reads, "A disabled Iranian fan and painter was warmly welcomed by Cristiano Ronaldo when she came to Tehran’s Espinas Palace Hotel to meet the Al-Nassr superstar. The story began when Fatemeh said in an Instagram post that she wished to see Ronaldo in Tehran...Fatemeh presented Ronaldo two portraits of him which she had painted herself and Ronaldo signed his No.7 Al-Nassr T-shirt and gave it to Fatemeh."
Ronaldo's current football club Al Nassr also posted the same visuals on X on September 19, 2023.
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