Ronaldo invests in Russian-owned healthcare firm (PHOTO)

Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo has become a shareholder in the Russian-owned healthcare company Bioniq, which develops personalized nutritional supplements. 

While the exact amount he has invested has not been disclosed, Bioniq said in a statement this week that the sum was “significant.” Following Ronaldo’s contribution, its estimated value has grown to $82 million, teh company added. 

Bioniq is owned by former basketball star Vadim Fedotov, who was born in Leningrad (now St Petersburg) and who captained Germany’s national team. A former director at RuTube, a YouTube alternative, he also joined senior management at Gazprom Media Holdings during his early career.

Ronaldo, who was already an ambassador for the London-based firm since 2022 and claims to have used Bioniq products for the past three years, said on its website: “With their personalized health approach, I believe Bioniq has the potential to transform how we care for our bodies and help people reach and maintain their peak performance for longer.”

Upon becoming a shareholder, the 39-year-old football star announced that he will now also participate in the development of the company brand and its products.

“Backing Bioniq goes beyond just an investment opportunity for me–it’s about aligning with a shared vision for health, performance, and longevity,” the footballer explained.

Fedotov has welcomed the Portuguese star’s investment, calling Ronaldo a perfect partner and shareholder. “As the ultimate embodiment of performance and longevity, Cristiano fully aligns with the values and mission of Bioniq,” the CEO said.

Fedotov and neurosurgeon Konstantin Karuzin launched Bioniq in 2019 as a health-tech startup. Since then, the company, which specializes in personalized nutritional supplements and vitamin complexes based on analysis of a user’s blood sample, has seen its products sold in more than 70 countries across the world.