LONDON : Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly still in Saudi Arabia despite reports that his private jet departed the country amid rising tensions in the Middle East.
Earlier reports suggested that a jet owned by the Portuguese star left the kingdom on Monday night following retaliatory strikes by Iran against several Gulf states after attacks by the United States and Israel.
However, according to the Press Association, Ronaldo remains in Saudi Arabia, with fixtures in the Saudi Pro League still scheduled to take place from Thursday to Saturday. Ronaldo’s club, Al-Nassr FC, are set to host NEOM SC in Riyadh on Saturday.
Security concerns have affected other sporting events in the region. In the United Arab Emirates, play at the Fujairah Challenger tennis tournament was suspended after a drone attack on a nearby oil terminal. The Association of Tennis Professionals confirmed matches were halted and players, officials and staff were moved to safe areas as a precaution.
Meanwhile, during the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Australia, the Iran women’s national football team declined to sing their national anthem before their match against the South Korea women’s national football team. Iran lost the game 3–0 and will face host nation Australia women’s national soccer team in their next group match on Thursday. ⚽
