Ronaldo Faces One-Match Suspension for Alleged Obscene Gesture in Saudi League Clash Following their Saudi Pro League encounter on Sunday, Ronaldo, playing for Al Nassr, has been handed a one-match suspension for what appeared to be an offensive gesture aimed at Al-Shabab fans.
The gesture allegedly occurred after Al Nassr secured a 3-2 victory over Al-Shabab in Riyadh, with Ronaldo seen cupping his ear and making a repetitive hand motion near his pelvis in response to chants of ‘Messi’ from Al-Shabab supporters.
The Disciplinary and Ethics Committee of the Saudi Arabia Football Federation (SAFF) announced the suspension on Thursday morning. Additionally, Ronaldo has been fined 20,000 Saudi Riyals ($5,333) to cover the costs of the complaint filed by Al-Shabab and half of that amount to the federation. The decision, according to the committee, is final and not subject to appeal.
While the incident wasn’t captured by television cameras, it drew widespread criticism in Saudi Arabia from former players and commentators.
This isn’t the first time Ronaldo has stirred controversy since joining Al Nassr in December 2022. Last April, he was involved in a similar incident following a game against Al Hilal, where he appeared to make a gesture towards the crowd as they chanted Messi’s name. Al Nassr attributed his actions to a groin injury sustained during the match.
Despite these controversies, Ronaldo remains a prolific scorer for Al Nassr, leading the league with 22 goals. He notably scored the opening goal in the match against Al-Shabab, converting a first-half penalty.
In addition to their league campaign, Al Nassr is also competing in the quarterfinals of the Asian Champions League, aiming to secure a title the club has yet to win.
