Cristiano Ronaldo poses next to a model of himself wearing the Portuguese national team kit during a tour of his museum in Funchal, Portugal, Sunday, Dec. 15 2013. The museum, opening Sunday, displays 150 of the soccer player's trophies and awards. (AP Photo/Helder Santos)
December 17, 2013 - 1:03 PM
MIAMI - Prosecutors in South Florida have dropped charges against an excited Canadian fan who got onto the field and hugged Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo during an August match.
The Miami-Dade state attorney's office announced Monday it would not prosecute 20-year-old Ronald Gjoka, an Albanian-born Canadian citizen, on trespassing charges. During Real Madrid's 3-1 Guinness International Champions Cup victory over Chelsea, Gjoka hugged Ronaldo for several seconds before police escorted him away.
According to a memo from the state attorney's office, prosecutors made multiple attempts to contact the owners of Sun Life Stadium, where the match was held, but never received a response. Without a victim to testify, prosecutors say they can't move forward with the case.
The Miami Dolphins operate Sun Life Stadium. A message left with a team spokesman wasn't immediately returned.
News from © The Associated Press, 2013