Left field

Swedish football family suffering Christmas unrest

Iain Rogers

Dec 23, 2011 12:00 UTC

By Philip O’Connor, Scandinavia sports correspondent

Sweden’s soccer year officially came to an end last week with Wednesday’s traditional press conference and Christmas lunch at the football association’s Rasunda headquarters.

The normally sedate affair was given extra spice by Alexander Gerndt’s conviction the previous day for domestic violence and the FA’s reaction to it.

The Utrecht striker’s hearing in a Helsingborg court appeared to catch the Swedish game’s governing body by surprise.

Chairman Lars-Ake Lagrell, soon to retire after 21 years at the helm, first appeared to suggest that the suspended sentence and fine was punishment enough and that the Gerndt would be given no further sanction.