Norway national coach Stale Solbakken has addressed Benfica’s Andreas Schjelderup in a statement over his allegations that he shared an explicit video of minors.
Schjelderup revealed that he was being investigated by Danish authorities in a lengthy statement on Instagram, and Solebakken has now responded via the Norwegian football association.
“Andreas spoke to me about it on Friday,” the statement read. “There’s no doubt it was an extremely stupid attitude on the part of one of our young players.
“I’m glad he expressed so clearly that he regrets what happened and for the people affected, and that he cooperated with the Danish authorities.
“He confessed to the incident that happened two years ago and is facing the consequences. I have full confidence that he has learned from it and will never do anything like it again.
“It will be a difficult time for Andreas, so we must take good care of him when he comes to the team meeting on Monday.”
Schjelderup’s earlier statement read: “Hello everyone. I want to be honest with you about a stupid mistake I made about two years ago. At the time, I was 19 years old, and now I have to face the consequences of that mistake. I take full responsibility for what happened and for what I did, but it’s important to me that you know the context of the incident.”
“I was living in Denmark at the time. I received a short video and forwarded it to a friend a few seconds later, without thinking twice. We always sent each other funny videos, like many teenagers do. When I received this video and forwarded it, I didn’t think it was any different. I only saw the first few seconds and didn’t understand how the video went.
“My friend, who saw the video a few seconds later, immediately said it was illegal to send it. So I deleted it right away.
“Unfortunately, at the time, I didn’t think about the consequences or that sharing it could be illegal. I should have realized the seriousness of the situation, but I didn’t at that moment.
“The only explanation I can give is that I was very shocked to see what appeared to be two young people in an old, low-quality video. I forwarded it without thinking.
“My intention was never to spread anything or hurt anyone. It was a stupid mistake I made only once, and one I deeply regret.
“When the Danish police contacted me earlier this year about what happened, I told the truth and cooperated throughout the process. I have been charged with the crime and will likely be sentenced soon, most likely receiving a suspended sentence.
“I have no excuses. What I did in Denmark at that time was illegal and wrong. I take full responsibility for it and hope that my mistake can prevent others from making the same mistake after hearing or reading my story.
“I hope they’ll think twice next time they receive something that shouldn’t be shared.
“First of all, I would like to apologize to everyone affected by the video. Then, to my friends, my family, my employers, my country, and all the fans I disappointed.
“Right now, I wish I could go back in time and correct my mistake. I’ve never done anything illegal before, nor have I had any trouble with the police. I’ve been in shock for a long time while all this is happening. But here we are. I made a mistake and I’m ready to face the consequences.
“The crime for which I will be convicted does not reflect who I am as a person or what I stand for. I sincerely apologize for my mistake and I am ashamed to be in this situation. Everyone who knows me knows what I stand for. I understand that this will be a shock to many.
“I also know that this will be an unnecessary distraction for the Norwegian team before some of the most important matches in our history. In fact, I intended to share this after the games to avoid this kind of situation, but unfortunately that’s no longer possible.
“To everyone: Please do not watch or share videos with harmful or offensive content. It is illegal. I would like to apologize again and hope you can forgive me. I will do everything in my power to rectify this situation.”
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