Cristiano Ronaldo (37, Manchester United), who smashed the phone of a boy fan of the opposing team after the match and dropped it to the floor, is expected to be punished by the English Football Association (FA).
The Associated Press reported on the 23rd (local time) that the FA had referred Ronaldo to the disciplinary committee. The FA considered Ronaldo to have violated the rules due to inappropriate and violent behavior and initiated disciplinary proceedings.
Ronaldo smashed the phone of a 14-year-old Everton fan requesting an autograph and dropped it to the floor after an away game against Everton in the English Premier League in April. In the end, the phone was damaged and criticism grew as news broke that the boy’s fan had autism.
At that time, Manchester United (Man United) lost 0-1 to Everton, and there was an interpretation that Ronaldo, who was uncomfortable with a sudden loss, was expressing his anger against the fans. After the incident, Ronaldo tweeted on his social networking service: “It was never easy for the team to deal with emotions in a difficult situation. Nevertheless, we must always respect and set an example for all young people who love the beautiful game. “I apologize for my anger and would like to invite you to Old Trafford in a spirit of fair play and sportsmanship,” he said, but the criticism did not stop.
After the incident, Ronaldo was even investigated by the police. Last month, Merseyside police closed the case at the level of cautioning Ronaldo.
However, Ronaldo does not seem to be able to avoid disciplinary action by the FA. “We are aware of the FA’s announcement regarding Ronaldo,” Manchester United said in a statement.
After the incident, the child’s mother, Sarah Kelly, criticized Ronaldo’s disrespectful behavior through her social media account. He asked the boy, ‘Ronaldo is inviting you to Manchester United, would you like to go?’ ‘I don’t want to see Ronaldo again,’ she said.
Reporter Jo Ara at Hankyung.com [email protected]