A Turkish cuisine restaurant chain has ended its sponsorship of Siggiewi Football Club after its players allegedly streamed a leaked X-rated video on a television screen at one of its outlets.
The Kebab Factory chain posted on Facebook that it was brought to their attention that a video which showed players from the team laughing at a leaked X-rated video of a young Maltese woman being played on the restaurant’s screen.
“It has come to our attention that a football team which we happen to sponsor, came to our Msida outlet this week and voluntarily connected their phone to our TV,” the restaurant said in statement.
“This action led to the unacceptable behaviour of sharing certain inappropriate images on the TV itself,” they continued. “We were never aware of this incident until recently when receiving an email reporting this happening. We are truly disgusted by this matter and do not want to be associated with them in any way.”
“Therefore, from now on we will no longer be sponsoring their football team and we are currently contacting their head coach and demanding a public apology from their end.”
“We are as shocked as anyone else and we apologise that from all places, it happened to take place in our outlet.”
It has come to our attention that a Football team which we happen to sponsor, came to our Msida outlet this week and...
Posted by Kebab Factory on Thursday, February 11, 2021
The chain sponsored Siggiewi FC – which participates in Group B of the National Amateur League in the Maltese football pyramid – for the past season, with the club publishing a post thanking the chain just last week.
Following the breaking of this news, the club's coach Trevor Thomas announced that he had tendered his resignation from the team.
Thomas said in a statement that he had not realised what was happening and had tried to stop the situation when he did. He said that despite this he felt that he should shoulder responsibility for what had happened and bear the consequences. He apologised to the victim and expressed solidarity with her, before also disassociating himself with all that happened.
Lovin Malta reported on Thursday how police are investigating how the videos from a young woman’s phone were leaked and may have subsequently illegally shared. Anyone found to have shared the video is liable to a fine of up to €5,000 and up to two years imprisonment.