Charges Pressed against Slovan Bratislava General Manager over Nazi Salute

Bratislava, June 25 (TASR) – An investigator from the National Crime Agency’s (NAKA) anti-terrorist unit on Monday pressed charges against Vice President and general manager of the SK Slovan Bratislava football club Ivan K. jr. for the offence of demonstrating sympathy to a movement advocating for the suppression of fundamental rights and freedoms, the police reported on Facebook on the same day without providing any further details.

The offence allegedly happened during the Slovakia Cup football match between Slovan Bratislava and MFK Ruzomberok at Anton Malatinsky Stadium in Trnava in May. During half-time, Ivan K. jr. went on the grandstand to calm down the Slovan funs. He then stepped down to the pitch, turned to the fans and started chanting with them vulgarly. The television cameras also recorded him performing the Nazi salute by extending his right arm into the air with a straightened hand.

The Slovak Football Association’s (SFZ) disciplinary committee gave him a fine worth €10,000 and banned him from access to the players’ changing rooms, the technical zone as well as to the team benches until December 31.