Football match rescheduled to let player appear on Swedish Idol
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A Swedish second-tier match has been rearranged to allow a player to take part in TV singing contest Swedish Idol.
GIF Sundsvall's 24-year-old midfielder Kevin Walker has made headlines by progressing through TV4's Idol singing contest.
And, luckily for him, the television company that broadcasts the programme also owns the rights to show matches from Sweden's Superettan.
Therefore, TV4 has requested a fixture change to ensure that the Swedish-born Irishman doesn't have to choose singing over football.
"I'm living a Bruce Wayne life at the moment," Walker told news agency TT referring to the Batman character.
"I play football during the week, and then take part in Idol at the weekend. It's different for me than the other participants."
TV4's head of sport, Emir Osmanbegović, added: "There will be no clash with Idol" - with Sundsvall's televised match at Assyriska Föreningen having been put back to 20 October.
Needless to say, Superettan rivals Degerfors - who are battling Sundsvall for promotion to the top flight - have been critical of changes to scheduled matches.
"It's ridiculous, TV can do whatever they want," midfielder Niklas Klingberg told newspaper Sportbladet.
"When our goalkeeper came back from the U-21 it's been difficult to move matches. He's had to play the next day. Now a game is moved because Kevin is singing."
Outspoken Sportbladet columnist Robert Laul - who abandoned a promising career as a player to become a sports journalist - said the move was "unprecedented in Swedish football history."
He said: "If one looks at Kevin Walker's individual responsibility, it's obvious that football should come first. He has an employer, team mates and paying fans that he should respect and be loyal to."
| Kevin Walker is participating on TV show Idol while professionally playing for GIF Sundsvall |
GIF Sundsvall's 24-year-old midfielder Kevin Walker has made headlines by progressing through TV4's Idol singing contest.
And, luckily for him, the television company that broadcasts the programme also owns the rights to show matches from Sweden's Superettan.
Therefore, TV4 has requested a fixture change to ensure that the Swedish-born Irishman doesn't have to choose singing over football.
"I'm living a Bruce Wayne life at the moment," Walker told news agency TT referring to the Batman character.
"I play football during the week, and then take part in Idol at the weekend. It's different for me than the other participants."
TV4's head of sport, Emir Osmanbegović, added: "There will be no clash with Idol" - with Sundsvall's televised match at Assyriska Föreningen having been put back to 20 October.
Needless to say, Superettan rivals Degerfors - who are battling Sundsvall for promotion to the top flight - have been critical of changes to scheduled matches.
"It's ridiculous, TV can do whatever they want," midfielder Niklas Klingberg told newspaper Sportbladet.
"When our goalkeeper came back from the U-21 it's been difficult to move matches. He's had to play the next day. Now a game is moved because Kevin is singing."
Outspoken Sportbladet columnist Robert Laul - who abandoned a promising career as a player to become a sports journalist - said the move was "unprecedented in Swedish football history."
He said: "If one looks at Kevin Walker's individual responsibility, it's obvious that football should come first. He has an employer, team mates and paying fans that he should respect and be loyal to."
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