Argentine Football Club Under Investigation for Fielding Influencer in Match

Deportivo Riestra is scrutinized for using YouTuber 'Spreen' in a league game, raising concerns over potential illegal betting links.

The Argentine justice department and the Argentine Football Association (AFA) have launched investigations into Deportivo Riestra after the club fielded influencer Iván Buhajeruk, known as 'Spreen', in a professional football match.
Spreen, who has no professional football experience, played less than a minute in the match against league leaders Vélez Sarsfield before being substituted.
The move, intended as a marketing strategy linked to an energy drink sponsor, has been widely criticized as a disrespectful publicity stunt by football commentators and players.
Riestra's coach, Cristian Fabbiani, stated that the decision was driven by contractual obligations and the club's reliance on publicity for financial support.
Prominent football figures and media outlets have condemned the incident, highlighting the negative message it sends to aspiring young athletes.