Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s career could be headed towards an abrupt end due to his 10% ownership of Malta based company Bethard. UEFA have appointed an ethics and disciplinary investigator to look into the issue and see if Zlatan violated any of the betting rules that have been laid out.
According to UEFA’s disciplinary regulations, players should not have any involvement with betting companies. However, the 39-year-old’s involvement could see him be struck with a 3-year-ban from playing football. Here is what the governing body of European football had to say in a statement they released:
‘In accordance with Article 31(4) of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations (DR), 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.’
According to reports in Sweden, the Swedish FA was aware of the matter for three years and apart from Zlatan retiring from national football, the issue was the main hindrance in calling him up for the 2018 World Cup squad.
Ibrahimovic may have violated FIFA’s rules during March’s World Cup qualifier against Georgia and in the Europa League qualifier against Shamrock Rovers in September 2020. UEFA are yet to declare the results of their investigation.
The AC Milan striker recently signed a contract extension which will see him play football in not only one of Europe’s top five leagues, but also potentially compete in continental football at the age of football. However, should the results be unfavourable for Zlatan, this could be the last we see of the invincible Swedish forward.
