Ethan Rhodes
In March 2020, several media outlets reported that Cristiano Ronaldo would be turning his hotels in Portugal into hospitals for coronavirus patients. The claims were that the footballer would pay for everything, including the salaries of doctors and nurses, and that patients would be treated free of charge. However, spokespeople for the hotels in Lisbon and Funchal denied the reports, stating that they had received no such briefing and would remain hotels.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of claim | 15 March 2020 |
| Source of claim | Spanish publication, Marca |
| Status of claim | False |
| Spokesperson's denial | "We are a hotel. We are not going to become a hospital. We remain a hotel. It’s a normal day. We are constantly being phoned by the press. I wish you a nice day." |
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What You'll Learn
Cristiano Ronaldo's hotels deny turning into hospitals
Several media outlets reported that Cristiano Ronaldo would be turning his hotels into hospitals for coronavirus patients. The reports claimed that the football star would be covering the cost of medication and staff members. However, these reports were soon refuted by spokespeople for Ronaldo's hotels, who stated that there were no plans to convert the hotels into hospitals.
The rumours began circulating in March 2020, with outlets such as Dainik Bhaskar, The Hindu BusinessLine, India Today, and Kenya's The Standard, attributing the information to the Spanish publication Marca. Social media users also shared the claim on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit, leading to its widespread circulation.
Despite the initial excitement and praise for Ronaldo's supposed gesture, the reports were ultimately denied by representatives of his hotels. A spokesperson for the Lisbon hotel, part of the Pestana CR7 chain, told RTL Nieuws: "We are a hotel. We are not going to become a hospital. We remain a hotel. It’s a normal day. We are constantly being phoned by the press. I wish you a nice day." This statement was echoed by a Pestana CR7 spokesperson who told AFP Fact Check, "the information is inaccurate. We did not receive any indication in this regard."
The original source for the story, Paula Carvalho, also apologised for the error, stating that she had been led to believe it was true. Pestana CR7's social media accounts, including Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, made no mention of any plans to convert hotels into hospitals. As a luxury hotel group, it was expected that they would have announced such a significant decision publicly.
In conclusion, while the idea of Cristiano Ronaldo converting his hotels into hospitals to aid in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic generated a lot of positive attention, it was ultimately false. The swift denial by hotel representatives and the retraction by the original source helped to clarify the situation. Ronaldo has, however, demonstrated his charitable nature on numerous occasions, including donating £100,000 to build a cancer ward in Madeira after his mother's recovery in 2009.
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Ronaldo's spokesperson denies the claim
Several media outlets and social media users claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo was transforming his hotels into hospitals for coronavirus patients. The claim was that Ronaldo would pay for everything, including the salaries of doctors and nurses. However, a spokesperson for the footballer's Pestana CR7 hotel in Lisbon denied the claim. They told AFP Fact Check that:
> "The information is inaccurate. We did not receive any indication in this regard. We are a hotel. We are not going to become a hospital. We remain a hotel. It’s a normal day. We are constantly being phoned by the press. I wish you a nice day."
Another spokesperson for the hotel chain also denied the claim, stating that they had received no such briefing. Pestana CR7's social media accounts also made no mention of the plan.
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Ronaldo's charitable acts
Cristiano Ronaldo has been recognised for his charitable acts, with the player himself saying that charity is not a duty but a calling. He was named the world's most charitable sportsperson in 2015 after donating £5 million to the relief effort after the earthquake in Nepal, which killed over 8,000 people. In 2016, he donated his entire €600,000 Champions League bonus to charity, and launched a selfie app called CR7Selfie to help Save the Children.
Ronaldo has also supported organisations dedicated to children's welfare, disaster relief, healthcare, education, and humanitarian aid. He has contributed to globally recognised organisations such as Save the Children, UNICEF, and World Vision. He has also helped raise funds for individuals in need of medical treatment, including funding life-saving brain surgery for a young boy and auctioning off his personal belongings to contribute to treatment for a 10-month-old baby.
In 2004, after seeing footage of an eight-year-old boy survivor of the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, Ronaldo visited Aceh, Indonesia, to raise funds for rehabilitation and reconstruction. He has also donated to a cancer centre in Madeira, the island where he grew up, and pledged to play in a charity match in support of the victims of the 2010 Madeira flood.
Contrary to some reports, Ronaldo did not turn his hotels into hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, he did use his platform to spread a message of unity and positivity to his 208 million Instagram followers during this time.
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Media outlets spread misinformation
Media outlets, including Dainik Bhaskar, The Hindu Business Line, India Today, and Kenya-based newspaper The Standard, published the story attributing the information to Spanish publication Marca. Several social media users also made the same claim on Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit. However, this information was false.
A spokesperson for the Lisbon hotel denied the claim, telling RTL Nieuws: "We are a hotel. We are not going to become a hospital. We remain a hotel. It’s a normal day. We are constantly being phoned by the press. I wish you a nice day." A Pestana CR7 spokesperson also told AFP Fact Check that "the information is inaccurate. We did not receive any indication in this regard."
Marca has since deleted the article, and the original source, Paula Carvalho, apologized for the error. Despite this, the story still circulated, with people praising Ronaldo for his apparent generosity. This is not the first time that false reports have emerged about Ronaldo's charitable actions.
It is important to verify information before sharing or publishing it to avoid spreading misinformation and causing potential harm.
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Ronaldo's hotels in Portugal
Cristiano Ronaldo has two hotels in Portugal, in partnership with the Pestana hotel group. They are marketed as Pestana CR7—the footballer's initials and jersey number. One hotel is in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, and the other is in Funchal, Ronaldo's hometown on the Portuguese island of Madeira. The Funchal hotel is the chain's marquee establishment. It is located right next to the harbour and offers stunning views of the town. The hotel has 82 rooms and one suite. It is a four-star hotel that features homages to Ronaldo, including photos of him and his mother above the beds. The hotel offers healthy food options, including lots of fruits, cereals, yogurts, meats, fresh juices, and water—reflecting Ronaldo's incredibly healthy lifestyle. It also has a sauna, a hot tub, and a pool.
In March 2020, there were reports that Ronaldo would be turning his hotels in Portugal into hospitals for COVID-19 patients. These reports claimed that Ronaldo would pay for the treatment, doctors' salaries, and nurses' salaries. However, these reports were denied by a spokesperson for the Lisbon hotel, who stated that they were still a hotel and would remain so. A Pestana CR7 spokesperson also denied these claims, stating that they had not received any indication of such plans.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Ronaldo is not turning his hotels into hospitals. A spokesperson for the Lisbon hotel denied the claim, stating that they "are a hotel" and will "remain a hotel".
Several media outlets, including Dainik Bhaskar, The Hindu BusinessLine, India Today, and Kenya-based newspaper The Standard, published the story attributing the information to Spanish publication Marca. However, Marca has since deleted the article.
Ronaldo has not publicly commented on the rumour.
Ronaldo currently has two hotels in operation in Lisbon and his hometown of Funchal in Madeira. There are also three more scheduled to open this year.
