First Published Jan 5, 2023, 3:58 PM IST
Amnesty International has urged legendary striker Cristiano Ronaldo to utilise his fame to draw attention to Saudi Arabia’s “appalling” record on human rights after the former Manchester United player described his new hosts as an “amazing country” upon arriving at his new club Al-Nassr.
The 37-year-old, who is now the highest-paid player in history thanks to a contract reportedly worth 175 million pounds annually until 2025, arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
“I had many opportunities … many clubs tried to sign me but I gave my word to this club to develop not only the football but other parts of this amazing country. I want to give a different vision of this club and country. This is why I took this opportunity,” Ronaldo said in his introductory press conference.
Following this comment, Amnesty International’s Middle East researcher Dana Ahmed said, “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,” Ahmed added.
“Cristiano Ronaldo shouldn’t allow his fame and celebrity status to become a tool of Saudi sportswashing – he should use his time at Al Nassr to speak out about the myriad human rights issues in the country,” she concluded.
Amnesty International’s comments on Ronaldo moving to Saudi Arabia to continue the next chapter of his illustrious footballing career has irked CR7 fans, with some sending a strong message to the human rights organisation that the Portuguese talisman is ‘NOT an activist’.
“Stop bringing politics into football,” said one Ronaldo fan on Twitter, while another added, “When have we seen a player detesting human rights violations in countries in which they are playing? Qatar just hosted a tournament that had huge protests before it began. It’s the fear of the establishment and the authority, it doesn’t matter how many followers you have.”
A third fan noted, “Ronaldo IS NOT an activist and doesn’t have to be,” while a fourth added, “Lol, that man isn’t doing any of that. He’s just there to kick a football.”
Here’s a look at how Ronaldo fans reacted to Amnesty International’s demand for the football icon to speak out over human rights issues in Saudi Arabia:
Last Updated Jan 5, 2023, 3:58 PM IST
