Ronaldo under investigation for potential COVID-19 rule breach

Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring a goal during the Spanish league football match Real Madrid CF vs Real Sociedad at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on 29 January 2017AFP

Juventus star striker Cristiano Ronaldo is under investigation for allegedly breaching COVID-19 protocols after he took a birthday ski trip to a mountain resort.

According to a report in goal.com, Ronaldo’s girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez posted footage on social media of the couple riding a snowmobile at a mountain resort in Italy earlier this week. Following the incident, Valle d’Aosta police has started an inquiry.

As per the current Italian laws, travelling between the COVID “orange zones” is forbidden unless proceeding to a second home or receiving valid clearance for work reasons. However, the pair have been accused of flouting those protocols to celebrate Rodriguez’s 27th birthday.

The 35-year-old and his partner could both face a hefty fine if found guilty.

Ronaldo has been embroiled in coronavirus-related controversy before as well. In October, he was criticised for travelling to Portugal while Juventus were in isolation after two coronavirus cases.

Ronaldo then tested positive himself, and returned to Italy to spend a couple of weeks in isolation at home.

He recently became the top goal-scorer in football history when Juventus won the Italian Super Cup (Supercoppa) for the ninth time, beating Napoli 2-0 in the final.