Zlatan Ibrahimovic could face a three-year ban – and possibly an untimely end to his football career – due to his partnership with a Malta-based betting company, according to reports from his native Sweden.
Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet say that through his company Unknown AB, the Swedish striker and AC Milan Ibrahimovic owns 10 percent of the shares of Bethard, a gambling site with registered offices in Malta.
The report also details that the Swedish Football Association has been aware of the problem for three years and that is why the talismanic striker was not called up for the 2018 World Cup despite having stepped down. of international football in 2016 until his return last month.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic could face a three-year football ban due to being a partner of a Malta-based betting company, according to reports in Sweden.
The return of the God @svenskfotboll pic.twitter.com/hQThIdWRY0
— Zlatan Ibrahimović (@Ibra_official) March 16, 2021
His stake in the company could earn him a three-year ban or a hefty fine, in a case that is being closely watched by FIFA and UEFA.
FIFA and UEFA do not allow players participating in their competitions to have financial interests in gambling companies.
The report adds that Ibrahimovic’s company is the fourth owner of Bethard, which according to the latest annual report available in 2019 made an after-tax profit of £ 25.79million.
He details that Ibrahimovic may have broken FIFA rules in the March World Cup qualifier against Georgia and in the Europa League qualifier against Shamrock Rovers in September 2020.
Ibrahimovic was announced as co-owner and ambassador of Bethard in 2018.
Ibrahimovic will be 40 in October and would almost certainly be forced to retire if he were given the maximum three-year ban.
