Ibrahimovic avoids suspension fined for his share in betting office
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has escaped suspension for his part in a Malta betting agency. The AC Milan striker will receive a fine of 50,000 euros from UEFA for the ownership of the gambling company, the European Football Association reported on Wednesday.
The 39-year-old Ibrahimovic could be suspended for a maximum of three years for the violation, but UEFA has decided not to do so. His club AC Milan will also receive a fine of 25,000 euros, because the club had a player under contract who benefits financially from a gambling company.
The Swedish Sportbladet reported in April that Ibrahimovic co-owns Bethard, a betting office in Malta. That was confirmed by a director of the gambling company. Ownership violates UEFA and FIFA rules. It states that players, umpires and other officials may not have a financial interest in a betting office.
UEFA announced an investigation into the construction at the end of April and is now reporting that Ibrahimovic did indeed have a financial stake in the gambling company. He therefore has to sell his shares. According to the Swedish site FotbollDirekt , the striker would have done so by now, although this has not yet been officially confirmed.
Ibrahimovic avoids suspension fined for his share in betting office
No European Championship for Ibrahimovic anyway
Due to the impending suspension, Ibrahimovic initially had to fear for his participation in the European Championship. But in the meantime it is already clear that he will not participate in the European tournament, which will start in two weeks. He has not recovered in time from a knee injury that has kept him aside for almost three weeks.
That injury shattered a dream for Ibrahimovic. The Swedish record international returned to the national team at the end of March after an absence of almost five years and hoped that the European Championship would be his seventh final tournament. He was there at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups and the 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 European Championships.
Ibrahimovic, who previously played for Malmö FF, Ajax, Juventus, Internazionale, FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United and Los Angeles Galaxy, was one of the most important players at AC Milan last season, which finished handsomely in second place. in Serie A. He scored seventeen goals in 27 official games.
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