Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD: FIFA has launched a probe into how celebrity chef Salt Bae and several others gained “undue access” to the pitch after the football World Cup final in Qatar.
Nusret Gokce, a Turkish chef and internet personality famously known as Salt Bae, was pictured holding and kissing the World Cup trophy and celebrating with Argentinian football players after their win over France.
FIFA allows only a ‘very select’ few to access trophy
According to FIFA rules, a “very select” group of people can hold the trophy. These include winners of the tournament, officials of the federation and heads of state.
“Following a review, FIFA has been establishing how individuals gained undue access to the pitch after the closing ceremony at Lusail stadium on December 18,” a spokesman for the football governing body told the BBC. He added that appropriate internal action would be taken.
Salt Bae, a multi-millionaire, owns a chain of luxury steakhouses around the world, including the UAE and the US. The 39-year-old rose to fame in 2017 after his technique for preparing and seasoning meat went viral on social media and became an internet meme.
