The Embassy of Iran in Spain on Saturday denied issuing any order of punishment against Portuguese football legend Cristiano Ronaldo for touching a single female fan when he was in Iran last month.
Reports in Iranian media were doing the rounds claiming that Ronaldo would face a sentence of 99 lashes for adultery if he enters the country in the future after he was seen shaking hands and hugging a specially-abled fan named Fatima Hamimi.
Hamimi, who is an artist and paints using her feet as she is 85% paralysed, gifted a portrait of himself to Ronaldo after which they both posed for pictures. A thankful Ronaldo then hugged Fatima and gave her a peck on the cheeks before leaving.
But he isn't going to be punished for his gesture towards Fatima.
"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.
"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," the Embassy of Iran stated.
