Ibrahimovic faces a €50,000 penalty.
News about football icon Zlatan Ibrahimovic's connection with a bookmaker has got everyone talking in the sports industry. Since these activities are strictly banned, UEFA has initiated disciplinary measures against the 39-year-old Swedish top goal scorer. He was even rumored to be facing the sudden termination of his career. But recently, the verdict was out: Ibrahimovic will have to pay a fine of 50,000 euros, and AC Milan, his club, is also required to pay. This begs the question - what's really going on?
Ibrahimovic and AC Milan at the Center of the Storm
UEFA has finished its investigations against Zlatan Ibrahimovic: The striker from AC Milan is now fined 50,000 euros because of his links with the bookmaker Bethard, according to the ruling of the governing authority. The investigations started in late April when it emerged that this legendary Swedish player owns 10% of the Malta-based bookmaker.
The main job of the committee was to find out if Ibrahimovic violated the football ethics and integrity rules by engaging in financial transactions with gambling companies or participating in sports betting. UEFA made their stance clear in this case: It's forbidden for sports players and officials subject to the organization to hold financial interests in gambling businesses or engage in sports betting.
Pedro Tomas, chairman of the UEFA Investigative Committee, claimed a breach of UEFA's Disciplinary Regulations of European Football in Ibrahimovic's case. Consequently, both Ibrahimovic and AC Milan – where he recently extended his contract until 2022 – are facing fines. AC Milan has to pay 25,000 euros.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a legend in football: He's the top scorer of the Swedish national team with 62 goals. He made his 500th goal in his club career in February this year. He's nicknamed Ibra by his teammates and fans. He's been titled the Swedish Footballer of the Year 12 times - 10 times in a row. His amazing goals earned him the phrase Ibrakadabra. During his peak, people considered him the world's best striker. He played for massive clubs like Inter Milan, AC Milan, Juventus Turin, FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and more.
Bethard Sold for 16 Million Euros
Ibrahimovic was asked to stop his connection with Bethard immediately. However, his involvement is done through his company Unknown AB. This company holds 10% of Bethard's shares. It's believed that Bethard made a net profit of 30 million euros after taxes in 2019. Ibrahimovic might have benefited from this too.
The Gameday Group, the Bethard operator, announced recently that they'll be selling their entire betting segment for 16 million euros to the Nasdaq-listed Esports Entertainment Group (EEG). Experts predict the deal will be finalized by mid-year. The Gameday Group plans to focus on B2B services in future. It's unlikely Ibrahimovic will benefit from the sale.
If UEFA had punished Ibrahimovic with the maximum penalty – a three-year ban – his abrupt retirement as a top athlete would have been inevitable. But he's managed to avoid that undignified scenario. However, there are still many unanswered questions. For example, why didn't FIFA, UEFA, or the Swedish Football Association take action against Ibrahimovic's relationship with Bethard earlier?
Especially, the Swedish Football Association (SF) situation appears strange, as its president, Hakan Sjostrand, allegedly knew about Ibrahimovic's partnership with Bethard since 2018. Ibrahimovic is believed to have been left out of the 2018 World Cup in Russia due to his involvement in Bethard. In 2018, Sjostrand mentioned following international World Cup rules. Yet, the football association itself didn't take any actions.
While players like Kieran Trippier, Paul Scholes, or Daniel Sturridge were swiftly punished for their gambling offenses by their local associations, Ibrahimovic seems to have enjoyed a special status in Sweden. And now, Sjostrand's contemplating consequences while also criticizing the UEFA and FIFA regulations for being unclear.
Ibrahimovic hasn't issued any statement on the outcome yet. In the build-up to the verdict, the superstar claimed he'd been targeted by bookmakers all his career. None of them could convince him until he came across Bethard. He wouldn't speculate on possible repercussions but rather wanted to push for clearer gambling regulations.
Criticism of FIFA and UEFA Regulations
Both Ibrahimovic and Sjostrand reproached the unclear and vaguely formulated regulations of UEFA and FIFA. It's surprising since these rules clearly state that players and officials must avoid betting, gambling, lotteries, and similar activities related to football. The idea behind this is to avoid match-fixing and manipulation.
To safeguard the authenticity of soccer, FIFA formed an accord with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in December 2020. A collection of prominent athletes is also advocating a campaign that champions the safeguarding of integrity in soccer. It remains uncertain if the final verdict on Ibrahimovic's case has been made or if FIFA and SF will undertake more actions against the renowned player.
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Source: www.onlinecasinosdeutschland.com
