Kolbeinn Sigthórsson provided the Icelandic football moment of all time when he sent his country to the European Championship quarter-finals at the expense of England’s stars in 2016.
Just over five years later, the striker is in the middle of an abuse scandal that shakes Icelandic football.
Thorhildur Gyda Arnarsdottir recently went open with RÚV and claimed that she and another woman were subjected to violence and sexual abuse by a national team player in connection with a nightclub visit to Reykjavik in 2017.
Sigthórsson has subsequently made himself known and denied the accusations.
– I do not recognize that I harassed them, nor that I have been violent and denied guilt. However, my behavior was not exemplary, and I apologize. I regretted it at the time, took responsibility and offered that we make up between us, Sigthórsson writes in the statement.
Manfall in the football association
Sigthórsson paid compensation to Arnarsdottir and the other woman. In addition, he donated just over 200,000 Norwegian kroner to Stígamót, an organization that works for victims of sexual abuse. According to Arnarsdottir it was her suggestion.
The Icelandic Football Association (KSÍ) was notified and offered Arnarsdottir compensation for signing a declaration of confidentiality. Should one believe RÚV, Arnarsdottir was offered 20,000 Norwegian kroner, but the proposal was rejected. The case was also reported to the police, but it has not resulted in anything.
The abuse scandal has triggered hectic meeting activities in KSÍ this week. After several crisis meetings, it ended with chairman Gudni Bergsson and 16 other board members resigning from their roles in the football association.
– SUSPENDED: Kolbeinn Sigthórsson signed for IFK Gothenburg earlier this year. Now he is suspended by the club. Photo: Michael Erichsen / BILDBYRÅN
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Sigthórsson has been suspended by his club, IFK Gothenburg, while they conduct an internal investigation. It confirmed IFK Gothenburg on their website this week. Sigthórsson also disappeared from the Icelandic squad this collection.
Twelve minutes of silence
The story of Sigthórsson becomes known only weeks after Hanna Bjorg Vilhjalmsdottir, leader of the gender equality committee at the Icelandic Teachers’ Association, took a stand in the newspaper Indicator with what she thought was a misogynistic football association.
There, Vilhjalmsdottir shared a story about a young woman who is said to have been gang-raped in 2010 by a gang that included national team players. According to Vilhjalmsdottir, the case should not have had consequences for any of the players.
Bergsson stated RÚV that the association had not been notified of any sexual abuse, but the next day Arnarsdottir shared the story of Sigthórsson. This led to Bergsson and 16 others finishing in KSÍ.
While dark clouds hang over Icelandic football, the national team is trying to save a slim hope of qualifying for next year’s World Cup finals. After four games, Iceland has only three points. In the 0-2 loss to Romania on Thursday, the Icelandic spectators were silent for the first twelve minutes to show their support for the victims.
– It is very difficult for the players to be automatically suspected of something they have not done, said Iceland’s national team manager Arnar Vidarsson at a press conference at the beginning of this gathering, reproduced by the state channel RÚV.
– It is very difficult to say something right now. This does not mean that we are indifferent, but it is very important that people realize that it is difficult for the players because they are afraid to say something wrong, Vidarsson continued.
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