STOCKHOLM: Swedish footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic Thursday filed a “hate crime” complaint Thursday after being the target of vandalism and racists threats, police said, a day after the star announced his part ownership in football club Hammarby.
A statue of the player in Malmo was attacked with fire and paint while the word “Judas” was daubed across the front door of his residence in Stockholm.
The perpetrators of the threatening acts have not been identified but “Ibra” angered fans of Malmo FF (MFF) — the club where he started his professional career in 1999 — on Wednesday when he announced he had bought a share in rival club Hammarby.
In Malmo, several people, most of them wearing hoods, vandalized a statue of Ibrahimovic that was unveiled just two months ago. Near the monument they wrote the words “Cigani do” (“Gypsy” in Bosnian, and “die” in Swedish) in spray paint.
Born in Malmo, Ibrahimovic is the son of a Bosnian father and Croatian mother.
Videos posted on social media showed masked people lighting fires and aiming them at the statue. There was no significant damage and a protective barrier has since been put up around it.
“An investigation has been opened into vandalism and threats with suspected hate crime motive. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the plaintiff,” a police spokesman told AFP.
Earlier on Wednesday, angry supporters had slipped a toilet seat on to one of the statue’s arms.
Hammarby, a Stockholm-based team playing alongside MFF in Sweden’s top league, announced Wednesday morning that Ibrahimovic had bought around 25 percent of the shares in the club.
“He’s turned his back on the city and what made him who he is,” Kaveh Hosseinpour, vice president of the MFF supporters’ club, told broadcaster TV4.
At noon on Thursday, nearly 7,000 people had signed an online petition calling for the immediate removal of his statue in Malmo.
“How could you do this to us?” one outraged signatory wrote while another proclaimed that “everything can’t just be about money.”
In Stockholm, the door of the former Juventus, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United forward’s home was covered with the word “Judas,” and a tin of “surstromming,” a notoriously smelly fermented herring had been opened and poured outside the building.
Ibrahimovic, whose contract with Los Angeles Galaxy expires at the end of the year, has not announced whether he will continue his career at another club.
Ibrahimovic files ‘hate crime’ complaint after house and statue vandalized
Ibrahimovic files ‘hate crime’ complaint after house and statue vandalized
- A statue of the player in Malmo was attacked with fire and paint while the word ‘Judas’ was daubed across the front door of his residence in Stockholm
- ‘Ibra’ angered fans of Malmo FF (MFF) — the club where he started his professional career in 1999 — when he announced he had bought a share in rival club Hammarby
Talwar leads on opening day of 2025 Saudi Open
- The 26-year-old from Delhi set a new course record of 8-under 64 at Dirab Golf & Country Club
RIYADH: India’s Saptak Talwar opened the first day of the 2025 Saudi Open, sanctioned by the Asian Tour, with a new course record of 64 (8-under) after finishing his round with a birdie on the final hole in fading light at the Dirab Golf & Country Club.
The 26-year-old from Delhi, who has competed in only a handful of Asian Tour events since turning professional in 2021, delivered a flawless round that included four birdies on each nine, placing him at the top of the leaderboard.
In second place are American John Catlin, the defending champion and reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit winner, and Australia’s Jack Thompson, both carding 65.
Meanwhile, rising Moroccan talent Adam Bresnu stole the spotlight as the leading Arab player on the opening day, after a strong performance that placed him firmly in contention.
Despite still being an amateur, Bresnu exemplified the Arab Golf Federation’s vision of creating clear pathways for regional talent to reach the highest levels of the professional game.
Through its partnership with the Arab Golf Federation, Golf Saudi is expanding high-level opportunities for amateur and professional Arab players.
Bresnu said: “The conditions were really good. What I liked most about the course was how firm the greens and fairways were. The greens are excellent, and I’m really happy to be here.”
“I’ll keep the same mindset. Patience is the main goal,” he added. “It’s a four-round tournament, day by day, shot by shot. My goal is simply to enjoy playing.”
Saudi Arabia players are still in contention as they progress into day two.
Shergo Al-Kurdi said: “Representing the Kingdom is amazing, the crowd support is definitely a big one. In general just being in Saudi, I always enjoy my time here and just want to perform the best I can. It’s a good place to have a nice week.”
He added: “The amount of support Saudi gives to their players is absolutely fantastic and it’s what golfers need to get into a higher level of golf. It is what is needed and they are prepared to do it. It’s very good what they’re doing.”
