Cristiano Ronaldo urged to highlight human rights issues in Saudi Arabia after completing Al-Nassr move

Dana Ahmed, a Middle East researcher at human rights organization Amnesty International, has urged Cristiano Ronaldo to speak out on Saudi Arabia’s human rights violations. Her comments came after Ronaldo completed his move to Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr.

Cristiano Ronaldo was officially unveiled as an Al-Nassr player on January 3 in front of the club’s supporters at Mrsool Park. Before the unveiling, Ronaldo claimed that he not only wanted to develop Saudi Arabian football, but the country in general as well.

Ahmed asked the former Real Madrid superstar to do the humane thing and shed light on human rights violations across the country. She said (via Amnesty.org):

“Al-Nassr’s signing of Cristiano Ronaldo fits into a wider pattern of sportswashing in Saudi Arabia. It is highly likely that the Saudi authorities will promote Ronaldo’s presence in the country as a means of distracting from the country’s appalling human rights record. Instead of offering uncritical praise of Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo should use his considerable public platform to draw attention to human rights issues in the country.

“Saudi Arabia regularly executes people for crimes including murder, rape and drug smuggling. On a single day last year, 81 people were put to death, many of whom were tried in grossly unfair trials. The authorities are also continuing their crackdown on freedom of expression and association, with heavy prison sentences handed down to human rights defenders, women’s rights activists and other political activists.”

Saudi Arabia took control of Premier League club Newcastle United in 2021 and is also making its way into golf, boxing, tennis, and F1. She urged Ronaldo not to let Saudi Arabia use his global stardom for sportswashing:

“Cristiano Ronaldo should not allow his fame and celebrity status to become a tool of Saudi’s sportswashing. He should use his time at Al-Nassr to speak out about the myriad human rights issues in the country.”

In addition to signing prominent players and taking over big clubs, Saudi Arabia is reportedly contemplating making a joint bid for the 2030 FIFA World Cup (via NDTV).

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Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr debut to be delayed due to FA sanctions

According to the Daily Mail, Cristiano Ronaldo is ineligible to make his much-anticipated Al-Nassr debut on January 5, against Al-Ta’ee.

The former Manchester United man was slapped with a £50,000 fine and a two-match ban by the England Football Association on November 17. The Portuguese superstar received the punishment for slapping the phone of a young Everton fan’s hands in September 2022.

Although Ronaldo does not come under the FA anymore, he will have to serve a two-game suspension even in Saudi Arabia, according to FIFA guidelines. Article 12.1 of FIFA’s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players reads:

“Any disciplinary sanction of up to four matches or up to three months that has been imposed on a player by the former association but not yet (entirely) served by the time of the transfer shall be enforced by the new association at which the player has been registered in order for the sanction to be served at domestic level.”

Courtesy of the ban, Ronaldo’s debut could now come in the clash against Ettifaq on January 21.