Back to the Soccer Newsfeed

Swedish referee banned for offensive remarks against Guinea goalkeeper Aly Keita

The Referee Committee of the Swedish Football Federation has found Martin Strombergsson guilty of using inappropriate and offensive statement towards Ostersunds goalkeeper Aly Keita.

According to reports, Keita reported Strombergsson to the Allsvenskan authorities after he told him “to shut up and go back into his goal so bananas could be thrown at him” during a top-flight game last season.

Following a thorough investigation, the chairman of the referee committee in Sweden, Peter Ekstrom announced that the 43-year-old official has been banned from officiating matches for the rest of 2020 as punishment.

Editors' Picks

“Martin Strombergsson regrets that he had no racist intentions with what he has said,” Ekstrom told Swedish Football Federation website.