A report that superstar Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nasr) had opened his hotel for free for earthquake victims in Morocco was a “hoax”.
“Ronaldo has made his four-star Pestana CR7 hotel in the ancient Moroccan city of Marrakech available as a shelter for earthquake victims,” Spanish media outlet Marca reported on Sept. 9.
The hotel boasts 174 rooms, an outdoor pool, fitness center, and other ultra-luxury amenities. Reports that Ronaldo had helped evacuate Moroccans from the streets after buildings collapsed in the quake to the safety of the hotel were met with praise.
However, multiple media outlets have since debunked the story. Moroccan journalist Ijem Anas said on social media, “I checked with the hotel and the news that Ronaldo opened the hotel is not true.”
There was a big push to verify the story. According to Israeli media outlet Ynet News, CR7 Hotel management said, “We have been inundated with inquiries since Marca’s report. Perhaps they saw some of the evacuees staying in the hotel lobby or on the street outside.” “The hotel was not affected by the earthquake, so we received many requests for evacuation. Although we have many guests, it is difficult to say that we are accommodating victims,” the official response said.
“It was probably triggered by a Spanish tourist visiting Morocco who mentioned how Moroccans were spending the night in fear in the streets,” said a spokesperson for the hotel, adding, “It seems that Ronaldo’s hotel was the place where people seeking shelter went. It’s not a shelter for refugees, as the hotel claimed.”
Ronaldo has several businesses named after his nickname, CR7. His hotel chain is one of them, and in addition to Morocco, he has hotels in Madrid and Barcelona, Spain, Lisbon, Portugal, and New York.
This isn’t the first time Ronaldo’s hotel has been the subject of misinformation. In 2020, during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it was reported that some CR7 hotels were offering their spaces to be used as hospitals for patients. The hotels denied the rumors at the time.메이저놀이터
Meanwhile, Morocco was hit by a powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake on Aug. 8 that caused significant casualties. It was the largest quake to hit the region in more than 120 years, killing more than 2,000 people. The number of victims is expected to rise as the affected areas are mountainous and difficult for rescuers to reach, and aftershocks have been observed up to the third day after the quake.
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