Story By: Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Golder’s News And Sport
Video Credit: Golders
The chicken which was reported as dead after being kicked off a pitch by a Croatian footballer has been found alive with its tail missing.
Croatian footballer Ivan Gazdek, 23, was filmed kicking and throwing the chicken during a Sisak-Moslavina Second County Football League while he played for local side NK Jelengrada against Jasenovca in northern Croatia earlier this week.
Initial reports claimed the footballer killed the chicken and received a red card for the action. Shortly after the incident, images of the act were widely reported.
However, contrary to initial reports the chicken was found alive three days after its owner Zlatko Auntunovic was looking for the dead body and reportedly found it hiding, saying the blow only left it unconscious.
He said: “She got kicked in the head and was unconscious.
“When she regained consciousness, she left and hid somewhere. She only lost a tail when he picked her up and threw her over the fence.”
The footballer expressed remorse before the news of the live chicken surfaced saying “I am sorry. I do not want people judging me in newspapers or social media.
“I have pets too and have never shown any aggression towards them. This was an accident” adding that he would no longer think of hitting a chicken because “I learnt my lesson”.
Despite the 23-year-old’s apology a representative from animal rights association “Animal Friends” Luka Oman condemned the footballer.
Oman said: “We believe that the public and the club should condemn the act of intentionally injuring an animal, even when it did not move as that is not justified in any way and that definitely does not go with that club’s reputation.”
Jelengrada won the match 8-1.
President of Jelengrada Zlatko Medakovic told local media that they have not yet decided whether to punish him for the incident.
The ViralTab page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.
