False: Cristiano Ronaldo did not ‘offer his hotel in Marrakesh to survivors’

A rumour that circulated earlier in the week that Cristiano Ronaldo’s hotel in Marrakesh had been opened to earthquake sufferers from Morocco on Friday is likely untrue.

The New Arab regrets this blunder and withdraws the article it published about these reports.

More than 2,000 people have already died and approximately the same number have been injured as a result of the terrible earthquake, which registered at least a 6.8 on the Richter scale. Many Moroccans are now homeless as a result of the massive damage to residential areas.

It was falsely reported that thousands sought refuge at the Pestana CR7, a hotel run by the famous Portuguese actor.

The hotel’s operations manager refuted the claim that was initially published in the Spanish magazine Marca.

The administration of the hotel disputed the claim that it was housing refugees and victims.

The reports appear to have been based on a visitor from Spain who was interviewed.

Irene Seixas, a Spanish national, said to Channel 24h, “[W]e have managed to get into Cristiano Ronaldo’s hotel, which is on the outskirts, to give us a room.”

We are waiting in a lobby with many others of various countries to see if we can obtain a room, but we have all spent the entire night sleeping on the streets.

Note from the editor: This story has been modified to reflect the refutation of the reported major claim.