Yahoo Finance Cristiano Ronaldo under investigation again for violating Italy's COVID-19 travel restrictions
Cristiano Ronaldo is again under investigation for breaking COVID-19 travel restrictions in Italy.
The Juventus forward and his girlfriend, Georgina Rodriguez, allegedly moved between the “orange zone” regions of Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta on Tuesday and Wednesday. Valle d’Aosta police confirmed to Reuters that they had opened an investigation.
Ronaldo allegedly breaks protocol for snowmobile ride
Italy enacted strict restrictions to curtail COVID-19 spread and restricts travel between regions. Travel is only allowed if for work, health, or other essential reasons.
Valle d’Aosta police were made aware of his travels by videos posted to Instagram showing Ronaldo and Rodriguez sitting on a snowmobile, per Reuters. They were celebrating Rodriguez’s 27th birthday.
The photo is from the Alpine town of Courmayeur, about 100 miles northwest of Juventus’ training facilities in Turin. The Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper reported that the couple spent Tuesday night in a hotel and went out for a ride the next morning before returning home.
If police find that he did make the trip and violated travel restrictions, the most likely outcome is a fine, per Reuters. AFP reported the amount to be $485 each.
Ronaldo back under investigation
Ronaldo, 35, was under investigation in October for breaking health rules after testing positive for COVID-19 while with Portugal’s national team. He and Italy’s sporting minister engaged in a public dispute that entailed each of indirectly accusing the other of lying.
The Portugese Football Federation announced on Oct. 13 that Ronaldo had tested positive for COVID-19 while with the national team. He left the national team while quarantining with the virus, and traveled back to his home in Turin, Italy via private air ambulance.
That drew an investigation with Italian sport minister Vincenzo Spadafor saying he thought Ronaldo might have violated the protocol. Ronaldo shot back and denied the allegation, saying it “is simply a lie.”
“They said I broke Italian law and this and that... it's all lies, I did everything properly,” he said in October. “We did everything the right way — leaving the [Portugal] team, in the air ambulance, arriving in Turin... I did not have contact with anyone.”
Spadafor later said he would not continue with it “forever” and was not going to keep talking about it after short additional comments on the matter.
“The fame and skill of certain players does not entitle them to be arrogant, disrespectful to the institutions and to lie," he said.
"On the contrary, the more well known you are, the more you should feel the responsibility of thinking before speaking and setting a good example.
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