The Saudi religious police are angry about the behaviour of Mirel Radoi, a Romanian footballer who plays for al-Hilal club and won the kingdom's Player of the Year award last June.

Radoi recently had a large cross tattooed on his right forearm and was seen kissing it during a match. 

The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has now sent a letter to the General Presidency for Youth Welfare saying this was a "violation of the regulations" and "such things have a negative impact on young people's ideas".

Last month, Radoi was suspended for two games and fined SR20,000 ($5,300) for making what the Saudi media described as a "racist" remark about a Saudi player from the Nasr team. (He had actually suggested the player was gay.)

Meanwhile, it is reported that the religious police have arrested nine well-known footballers during the last two years for "illegitimate relationships" with women. The most recent case was last week, when a player was caught with a woman at a hotel in Jeddah.

Posted by Brian Whitaker, 10 April 2011.