Norway international Andreas Schjelderup has issued a public statement acknowledging that he is set to be convicted in Denmark in relation to sharing a video when he was a teenager.
The Benfica winger, now 21, addressed the situation in a message posted on his social media accounts on Saturday, describing his actions as a “stupid mistake” committed when he was 19 and playing for Nordsjaelland in the Danish Superliga.
The statement was released shortly after Schjelderup was named in Norway’s 24-man squad for this week’s World Cup qualifiers against Estonia and Italy.
Norway are in contention to qualify for the tournament for the first time since 1998, making the timing particularly sensitive.
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Schjelderup explained that he had received a video from another individual and forwarded it to a friend without realising the nature of its contents.
He wrote that he had only viewed “the first few seconds” and deleted the video as soon as he was told “what it developed into”.
He said that despite his lack of understanding at the time, the act of sharing it was illegal under Danish law, and he accepts the consequences.
Andreas Schjelderup has issued an apology and said he will take 'full responsibility' for his actions
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“What I did in Denmark at that time was illegal and not OK. I will take full responsibility for it,” he wrote.
“I would like to apologise first and foremost to those affected by the video. Then to my friends, family, employers, country and all the fans I have disappointed. I wish I could go back in time and change my mistake.”
He stressed that the incident does not reflect his character.
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Andreas Schjelderup plays for Portuguese side Benfica
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“The offence I will be convicted for does not reflect on who I am as a person and what I stand for,” he continued.
“I have never done anything illegal before, or been involved with the police, so I have been in shock for a long time while this has been going on. I am ready to face the consequences.”
Schjelderup did not provide detail on the content of the video but said it appeared to involve “what looked to be two young men in an old-quality video”.
He urged people not to view or share material that could be harmful, stressing the importance of recognising the impact such content can have.
Danish media now say that Schjelderup is scheduled to appear in court later this month. He said in his statement that he expects to receive a suspended sentence, in line with legal guidance for the offence.
Benfica president Rui Costa has been reported in Portugal as saying that the club will support the player through the legal process. Schjelderup has also been in contact with the Norway national team staff.
Norway head coach Ståle Solbakken said he had spoken personally with the player
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Norway head coach Ståle Solbakken said he had spoken personally with the player.
“He has admitted the incident that took place two years ago and is taking responsibility for his actions,” Solbakken said.
“He has done an incredibly foolish thing. I have full confidence that he has learned from this and that he will never do anything like it again. This is a tough situation for Andreas, so we need to take good care of him when he joins the team.”
Schjelderup acknowledged that the matter could distract from Norway’s preparations.
“I also know this will be an unneeded disturbance to the national team of Norway before some of the most important games in our history,” he said. “My intention was to share this after the games to avoid that. But unfortunately, that is not possible any more.”
Norway currently lead their qualifying group with two matches remaining.