Chronicle Editor
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
FOOTBALL in Iceland has been left leaderless by a sex scandal that forced the resignation of the entire national federation board on Monday.
Members of the KSÍ Federation were forced to step down over accusations of covering up claims of alleged sexual assault by a national team player, according to reports.
Federation president Gudni Bergsson quit on Sunday after criticism that he had played down the claims and after an emergency meeting lasting nearly five hours, the 16 other members of the executive committee announced that they were also stepping down.
The scandal broke out when a 25-year-old woman, Thorhildur Gyda Arnarsdottir, told public broadcaster RUV that a member of the national team had grabbed her crotch before assaulting her with another individual in a Reykjavik nightclub in September 2017, and that the KSÍ had been informed.
“Arnarsdottir and another woman reportedly filed police reports against a player for sexual assault that same night.
It is claimed the player admitted to the incident and apologised, but that at least six other players had been accused of sexual assault by other women. According to Icelandic media, a confidentiality agreement was signed, supported by the KSÍ, in exchange for compensation,” read the report. Bergsson was found to have lied when he told national television that the association had “not received a complaint or any kind of suggestion that someone in particular has been guilty of sexual offences”.
He publicly apologised, but eventually resigned after several crisis meetings.
Icelandic media have named the alleged culprit as a player for Swedish club IFK Göteborg. In a statement, the club said it takes the allegations “very seriously” even if the case was legally closed.
“We have initiated a dialogue with the player about this to investigate which way we can take forward,” club director Håkan Mild was quoted as saying.
“We want to make it clear that we distance ourselves from his behaviour and all similar behaviour.”
KSÍ said it would also hold meetings with Uefa and Fifa about the overhaul of its executive to make sure that football in Iceland can continue uninterrupted.
A number of female Zimbabwean referees last year accused certain members of the Zifa Referees Committee of demanding sexual favours in return for more refereeing assignments and promotion.
No investigations were conducted after Zifa said no complaints were received.
Online Reporter