Spain's tax authority inspects yacht being rented by Ronaldo

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) - Spain's tax authority says that customs agents have boarded and carried out an inspection of a yacht rented by Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo.

In an email response to questions by The Associated Press, the authority said Wednesday that the inspection of Ronaldo's boat "forms part of a routine check of vessels that is carried out each summer."

It added that the inspection targeted the boat's owner, not Ronaldo as its renter. The authority's aim was to determine if the boat's owner, "in this case a charter company," is correctly applying a tax exemption for boats that are available for rent, but is not applicable once they are rented.

The story was first reported by Spanish magazine HOLA on Wednesday. HOLA published what it claimed were photos of agents boarding a yacht supposedly rented by Ronaldo in waters near the Balearic island of Formentera.

The boat inspection is not related to an investigation into Ronaldo's affairs for alleged tax fraud.

The Real Madrid player is set to be questioned by a judge on July 31 after a state prosecutor accused him of four counts of tax fraud totaling 14.7 million euros ($16.5 million).

Ronaldo has denied any wrongdoing.