US Open soccer league has banned celebrity chef, Salt Bae, from attending its soccer final match following the chef’s fiasco at the 2022 World Cup final celebration.
The Turkish chef had come under criticism for entering the field to celebrate with World Cup winners Argentina, where he was seen in videos now circulating online, kissing the trophy, biting the medal of one of the players and pestering Lionel Messi for a picture.
According to FIFA rules, the World Cup trophy can only be held by the tournament winners and the likes of FIFA officials and heads of state. As a result, FIFA has begun investigations to figure out how Salt Bae made his way to the pitch.
Consequently, the US Open soccer league banned the celebrity chef from attending its final match.
Announcing on its official Twitter page the league wrote, “Salt Bae is hereby banned from the 2023 @opencup final.”
The US Open Cup is a knockout cup competition in men’s soccer in the United States and it is the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in that country.
Salt Bae, whose real name is Nusret Gokce gained “undue access” to the pitch at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar after Argentina defeated France 4-2 on penalties in the most electrifying World Cup final match.
The entrepreneur was seen twice grabbing the arm of Messi and was also photographed with Angel di Maria and Lisandro Martinez.
AFP reports that a FIFA spokesperson who spoke to the BBC said, “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.
“The appropriate internal action will be taken.”
Salt Bae, 39, owns a chain of luxury restaurants around the world including Beverly Hills in Los Angeles and London’s swish Knightsbridge.
His technique for preparing and seasoning meat has become an internet meme. He was also photographed doing his sinature technique on the World Cup trophy.
Earlier in the World Cup, he posted a video of himself at a match sitting alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
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