Ibrahimovic Sports Betting Company – Allegations Causing Trouble

Image source - Andy Witchger, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

We have heard about so many scandals when it comes to football players and gambling. The latest involves Zlatan Ibrahimovic and a sports betting company. According to the scuttlebutt, he even faces a three-year ban from FIFA, if found guilty. Keep on reading to find out more about the case! Gambling is a tricky thing for football players. It is not a secret that in the leading leagues, football players can make a whole fortune with just one game. That means that they have “spare” money that they can gamble away. But sometimes, they go to the other extreme. That way, they can even lose all their fortune – we have seen many cases. Some football players, on the other hand, get into feuds concerning fixed matches. But it is not how Ibrahimovic got into trouble with a sports betting company lately. However, FIFA still takes the case very seriously. That is to say: fans of the Swedish football player can be concerned about his future in the game. Maybe they could even bet on it, once bookmakers on online sportsbook sites in Malta serve some odds on the case! We advise checking Intertops more frequently!

Ibrahimovic and FIFA

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a 39-years-old Swedish striker. He was born as a child of a Croatian mother and Bosniak father, this is how he got his unusual name. Right now, he plays as a striker for AC Milan, a Serie A team. Because of his performance on the football field, they say, he is one of the best strikers of all time. During his career, he scored more than 560 goals! He has a long history with FIFA: he has been on teams like Malmö FF, Ajax, Juventus, and Barcelona in the last more than two decades. He also took part in several FIFA World Cups, as part of the Sweden Squad. However, now it looks like that this good relationship is about to have a crack. Since Ibrahimovic was alleged to have gotten involved in a sports betting company, things have been quite tense. FIFA even envisaged a three-year ban for the player as UEFA started investigating the case.

Ibrahimovic and a sports betting company: allegations for the player

First, a Swedish newspaper started the scandal: they stated that Zlatan Ibrahimovic has connections to a sports betting company. After that, FIFA accused him of having part-time ownership of the Maltese-based gambling website, called Bethard. After the accusations, UEFA the Union of European Football Associations launched a full investigation against the striker. And why is it a problem? Well, UEFA cleared it out in a statement: "In accordance with Article 31(4) of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations, a UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector has today been appointed to conduct a disciplinary investigation regarding a potential violation of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations by Mr. Zlatan Ibrahimovic for having an alleged financial interest in a betting company," Ever since the allegations and the statements, almost all online gambling sites in Malta started to deal with the topic. Although, Ibrahimovic is yet to comment on the charges.

A question of ethics

It is true, that FIFA’s code of ethics is fairly strict. However, players do consent to it, so they know what they are getting into. "They (the players) are forbidden from participating in, either directly or indirectly, betting, gambling, lotteries or similar events or transactions related to football matches or competitions and/or any related football activities (...) They shall not have any interests, either directly or indirectly (through or in conjunction with third parties), in entities, companies, organizations, etc. that promote, broker, arrange or conduct betting, gambling, lotteries, or similar events or transactions connected with football matches and competitions. (...) Interests' include gaining any possible advantage for the persons bound by the Code themselves and/or related parties." This is why Ibrahimovic can be in big trouble if found guilty. Especially that he just elongated his contract with AC Milan. It would be a shame to quit on that. Anyhow, we will soon see how it turns out, until then, we strongly advise you to keep on checking some online sportsbooks, like Intertops, since it is just a matter of time before they start setting odds on the striker to get punished – or not.

You can discover more about Intertops Sportsbook here.