Sports
Ronaldo didn’t miss clash with Esteghlal over fear of 99 lashes – Iran Embassy

Ronaldo didn’t miss clash with Esteghlal over fear of 99 lashes – Iran Embassy
Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence from Al-Nassr’s recent Asian Champions League clash with Iranian side Esteghlal was not due to claims that he would face 99 lashes for adultery, according to the Iranian embassy.
The Portuguese superstar did not travel to Tehran for Monday’s match, having also missed Al-Nassr’s previous encounter in the competition against Persepolis, another Tehran-based club, last month.
Speculation had arisen that the 40-year-old was facing potential legal consequences in Iran due to an interaction with disabled Iranian painter Fatima Hamami in 2023. Ronaldo had greeted Hamami with a hug and a kiss, which reportedly violated Iranian law, where touching a married woman is considered adulterous.
However, the Iranian embassy has dismissed such reports, insisting that no legal action was ever taken against the footballer.
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“We strongly deny the issuance of any court ruling against any international athlete in Iran,” a spokesperson for the embassy told talkSPORT. “His sincere and humane meeting with Fatima Hamami was also praised and admired by both the people and the country’s sports authorities.”
Meanwhile, reports from Saudi Arabia have suggested that Ronaldo’s absence was instead due to muscle fatigue.
Amid the initial controversy, Hamami, who paints with her feet, defended Ronaldo, emphasizing that their meeting was purely respectful. During their encounter, she presented him with a portrait of himself, and in return, Ronaldo gifted her one of his shirts.
Responding to the accusations, Hamami expressed her gratitude for Ronaldo’s kindness and dismissed the claims made against him.
“Unemployed lawyers made accusations against him without my or my family’s permission,” she said in 2023.
“In Iran, he has committed a crime for hugging me, while we have never had any complaints… I am very grateful to Ronaldo for his love and love towards me. I hope the best happens to him in life and football.
“No one told him anything about the laws of Iran, and he didn’t know it either, but Ronaldo’s hug was for his love and brotherhood, and he had no bad intentions.
Ronaldo didn’t miss clash with Esteghlal over fear of 99 lashes – Iran Embassy
Sports
Arsenal stun Real Madrid to reach first UCL semi-final in 16 years

Arsenal stun Real Madrid to reach first UCL semi-final in 16 years
Arsenal pulled off a historic victory at the Santiago Bernabéu, defeating Real Madrid 2-1 on the night and 5-1 on aggregate, to book their place in the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2009.
Mikel Arteta’s men delivered a composed and clinical performance in the Spanish capital. Bukayo Saka opened the scoring in the second half, redeeming himself after missing an earlier penalty. Vinícius Júnior responded with a goal for Madrid, offering the hosts a glimmer of hope.
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But Gabriel Martinelli sealed the deal with a late winner, ensuring Arsenal ended Real Madrid’s hopes of defending their title.
The Gunners now advance to face Paris Saint-Germain in what promises to be a thrilling semi-final clash.
Arsenal stun Real Madrid to reach first UCL semi-final in 16 years
Sports
U-20 AFCON: Nigeria drawn in Group B with Tunisia, Morocco, Kenya

U-20 AFCON: Nigeria drawn in Group B with Tunisia, Morocco, Kenya
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles have been drawn in Group B alongside Tunisia, Kenya, and Morocco for the 2025 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations.
The new groupings were announced on Sunday following a fresh draw conducted by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in Cairo, Egypt.
This comes after Cote d’Ivoire withdrew as hosts, prompting Egypt to step in as the new venue for the tournament.
The seven-time champions, Nigeria, will kick off their campaign against Tunisia on Sunday, April 28.
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Group A features host nation Egypt, along with South Africa, Sierra Leone, Zambia, and Tanzania.
Defending champions Senegal will compete in Group C, where they face the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ghana.
The tournament officially begins on Saturday, April 27, with the hosts Egypt squaring off against South Africa in the opening fixture.
U-20 AFCON: Nigeria drawn in Group B with Tunisia, Morocco, Kenya
Sports
I don’t have a second wife or family – Super Eagles striker Brown Ideye

I don’t have a second wife or family – Super Eagles striker Brown Ideye
Recall there have been reports of a woman named Yana Voloshchenko, who claimed she is the mother of Ideye’s two children, and accused the former Dynamo Kyiv and West Bromwich Albion forward of neglecting his parental duties.
She claimed the 2013 AFCON winner owes over $150,000 in unpaid child support, stemming from an alleged agreement to pay $7,000 monthly for their children, Joel and Mitchell.
In a tweet on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, Ideye stated emphatically that he does not have a second wife or family home or abroad.
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He wrote, “I have said this before and I’m saying it again. I don’t have a second wife or family, home or abroad. Happily married since 2010, and God blessed my wife and I with two lovely boys. Don’t take my silence for foolishness. Period.”
Recall Ideye recently returned to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) with Enyimba, and has been pivotal in their campaign.
The former West Brom forward has seven goals in 28 international appearances for Nigeria, including the second goal in the 4-1 defeat of Mali in the semifinals at AFCON 2013 in South Africa.
I don’t have a second wife or family – Super Eagles striker Brown Ideye
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