Ibrahimovic Violates Health Protocols At Milan Restaurant, Not Wearing Mask And Surrounded By Glasses Of Wine

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Twitter @acmilan)

JAKARTA - Zlatan Ibrahimovic was back in the spotlight for his actions off the field on Monday after he was reportedly spotted at a restaurant in Milan while the city was on lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Italian news site Fanpage published a number of photos, taken on Sunday, showing the AC Milan striker and his friends without wearing masks surrounded by wine glasses in a supposedly closed restaurant serving on-site shoppers.

Sunday was the last day of lockdown in the Lombardy region where Milan is located and a number of other regions with increased transmission case statistics.

A source from Ibrahimovic's entourage told AFP on Monday the Swedish striker was at the site for a work meeting, while restaurateur Tano Simonato told Fanpage that the group, which he also called including former Milan player Ignazio Abate, did not eat at the restaurant.

"They didn't eat, as friends, we only drink a glass of wine", Fanpage wrote, quoting Simonato's words reported by Antara on Tuesday.

The photos caused controversy again after in the spring Ibrahimovic, who contracted COVID-19 in September, promoted distance keeping and the wearing of masks for the Lombardy regional government.

In March, Ibrahimovic co-hosted the Sanremo music festival in Italy, and in January he was accused of racism after allegedly insulting Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku by alluding to voodoo.

He also got into an altercation with American basketball star Lebron James in February when he said athletes shouldn't interfere with politics, mention James' name and call out his political activities.

James helped found the organization More Than a Vote, which boosted turnout in the predominantly black region during the United States presidential election in November, deploying more than 40.000 volunteers to work at polling stations.

Ibrahimovic, meanwhile, has scored 15 goals in his 17 Serie A appearances this season, but he was sent off in Milan's 3–1 win at home to Parma on Saturday.