Ivan Buhajeruk, aka “Spreen”, was able to play in the Argentine first division.Image: www.imago-images.de
A network star with no real football experience made a brief appearance in Argentina’s 1st division on Monday. A marketing stunt that sparked an outcry.
13.11.2024, 16:5913.11.2024, 18:30
Imagine for a moment that an influencer with no significant football experience appeared in a Super League match? Despite all the efforts made by the League and Swiss clubs to conquer new markets and target groups, this seems unimaginable. Yet this is what happened in the country of world champions.
Ivan Buhajeruk, nicknamed “Spreen”, is a 24-year-old streamer with around 15 million followers across different social networks. He started Monday in the Argentine first division during Deportivo Riestra’s match against leader Velez Sarsfield (1-1) and replaced after a good minute without having touched a single ball – a marketing stunt that sent Lionel Messi’s country into turmoil.
Ivan Buhajeruk has over five million followers on Instagram.Image: Instagram
Velez striker Braian Romero spoke of “cheating” and a “false message sent to society, to children, to those who try until the end to succeed in professional football”. Former international Juan Sebastian Veron, currently president of Estudiantes de La Plata, deplored a “total lack of respect for football and footballers”.
Deportivo Riestra captain Milton Celiz was more understanding. Buhajeruk is “a friend of the house and he has a contract.” He uses it because “everyone would like to play in the first division one day”.
The truth is that Buhajeruk works with a big sponsor of the club, an energy drink manufacturer. Deportivo Riestra took ‘Spreen’ under contract two months ago, despite having no experience of professional football. The week before, he started training with the team and then made his debut.
An investigation is underway
The Riestra club explained that they did not intend to harm Velez Sarsfield or Argentine football, but they also highlighted the added value of the action:
“Our goal was (and is) to win new target groups for football, to build bridges between different worlds and platforms”
Additionally, Velez Sarsfield was reportedly informed of the action a week before the match.
The Argentine Association (AFA) has seized its ethics tribunal to “investigate possible behavior which could harm the reputation of integrity of Argentine football”. In addition, the daily Clarin reported that an online provider offered attractive bets on Monday on whether “Spreen” would start the match or not. The prosecutor’s office specializing in games of chance has opened an investigation.
(sid)
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