Five leaders and some players received death threats at IFK Kalmar.
Despite serious threats, the activities of the Swedish women’s club continue as usual.
– It’s hard to realize that a club at the bottom of the Allsvenskan, which is fighting for its existence, is getting this, says sporting director Tommy Nyberg.
IFK Kalmar lost 2-6 away to league leaders Rosengård last Friday. The next day he learned that the team had received death threats after the defeat.
Threats were via email.
There are hard things, really tough things in this email, says Tommy Nyberg when TT got to him on Monday.
In total, the message was sent to five leaders and some players. The incident has been reported to the police.
– It’s a lot rougher than the “normal” way. Regarding losses, fools tell most associations that they are worthless. It is standard. Nyberg says it somehow comes with the job.
“hard to understand”
Nyberg continues:
– We can’t do more than we did. There has been a lot of debate about whether we should make it public, but we’ve chosen to do so, even though it might be in the hands of those who want to care about this sort of thing. If you don’t, you won’t be able to make people aware of how miserable it can be in the world of premium football – and that the women’s team doesn’t shy away from that kind of nonsense either.
– It is difficult to realize that a club at the bottom of the Allsvenskan, which is fighting for its existence, gets this. No one would be surprised by a loss to Rosengard, the Champions League side and the reigning champions of the League. It’s incomprehensible through and through and is terribly gross.
Trinidad and Tobago: How are the leaders and players in the federation?
– From what I collected, it is okay under the circumstances.
Trinidad and Tobago: Have you taken any additional security measures?
– No, we didn’t. And work? Imagine yourself in the situation, a complete bond where you say those who play for you will get hurt. The police received this immediately and they had made any assessment that the matter was that serious we had to adjust it accordingly, but we are not there.
EFD: Amazed
Stefan Alvin is the athletic director at EFD (Elitfotboll Women, an organization that takes care of the top two championships on the women’s side).
– I must admit that I have never heard of him before, he says.
– I was surprised that this happens in women’s football and that it happens in conjunction with a match between Rosengard and Kalmar. As a watcher of women’s football in general, I don’t think there were many who thought Kalmar would win away from Rosengard.
Alvin continues:
It’s a balancing act between taking it seriously and demonstrating that it is totally unacceptable in football. On the other hand, if it’s the work of one person on a Friday night like that, you should probably take it for what it is. But you never know, it’s important to take it seriously, stay vigilant, track the continuity, and see if it’s escalating or just an empty threat.
Alvin himself had to receive threats when he was sporting director of Djurgården on the men’s team just over ten years ago.
TT: Are you going to act at EFD in any way?
– We support all our clubs, especially IFK Kalmar in this case of course.
IFK Kalmar’s next match, Piteå, will be played at home on Sunday, as planned. Smålänningar is 11th in the Women’s League, two points ahead of Umeå in the relegation zone.