By Zayn Nabbi and Matt Foster, CNN
Amnesty Worldwide mentioned on Wednesday that the soccer celebrity Cristiano Ronaldo ought to spotlight human rights points in Saudi Arabia throughout his time enjoying in al nassr.
A Press launch The human rights watchdog quotes Dana Ahmed, its Center East researcher, as saying: “Al-Nassr’s signing of Cristiano Ronaldo suits right into a broader sample of laundering sportswear in Saudi Arabia.
“Sportswashing” is the phenomenon of sharpening one’s popularity by way of sport.
“It is rather seemingly that the Saudi authorities will promote Ronaldo’s presence within the nation as a means of distracting from the nation’s appalling human rights file,” Ahmed added.
“Cristiano Ronaldo shouldn’t enable his fame and superstar standing to grow to be a instrument of Saudi Arabian sports activities laundering. He ought to use his time at Al-Nassr to speak in regards to the myriad human rights points within the nation.”
The assertion argues that the Saudi state executes folks with out a honest trial and doesn’t enable freedom of expression or affiliation.
Ronaldo will earn about $200 million a yr with Al Nassr, in accordance with Saudi state media.
Amnesty Worldwide’s assertion got here in response to feedback made by the Portuguese star at his presentation of the Riyadh-based group on Monday, the place he mentioned: “I wish to give a special imaginative and prescient of this membership and nation. That is why I took benefit of this chance.”
CNN reached out to the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Sports activities, the Saudi Arabian Soccer Federation and the Saudi Arabian Skilled League for remark however didn’t instantly hear again.
Ronaldo’s representatives declined to remark.
The CNN Wire
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