Corpun file 26148 at www.corpun.com

Mail Online, London, 14 June 2012

Swedish PM slams national football team for playing bare-bottom target game during training

Embarrassing YouTube video shows goalkeeper Johan Wiland on all fours with his shorts lowered as players fire off shots at his exposed behind

By Tammy Hughes

Sweden's Euro 2012 squad playing England tomorrow have been rapped by their country's prime minister for conducting a bizarre bare-bottomed training session.

A hugely embarrassing film shows reserve goalkeeper Johan Wiland on all fours with his shorts lowered, as players fire off shots at his exposed buttocks.

The team were playing a game called 'the pig' in which players volley the ball to each other.

Down on all fours: Sweden's goalkeeper Johan Wiland kneels down on the ground with his shorts lowered so his fellow players can use his buttocks for target practice

Rearranging: But after the other players struggle to hit the spot, Wiland jumps up to reposition himself

As 'punishment' for letting the ball drop, Wiland was made to get on his hands and knees for the humiliating naked ritual.

Sweden were defeated by Ukraine on Monday and must beat England in Kiev on Friday to stand a chance of qualifying for the quarter-finals.

But instead of a rigorous practice session at their training ground, they were caught playing the oddball game popular in school playgrounds.

Prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt today lashed out at the national team that now has the hopes of the country on its shoulders.

He told Sweden's Expressen newspaper: 'People who carry expectations should be aware of that and act accordingly.

'It's important to reflect on how what one does in order to meet expectations.'

Centre Party leader Annie Loof described the game as 'tasteless', adding to the paper: 'They are really not being good role models.'

And Goran Hagglund, leader of the Christian Democrat party, said: 'I do not think they should be engaging in these types of games.'

The head of Sweden's anti-bullying group Friends also told Expressen: "They have shown unbelievably poor judgment.

'They are heroes for thousands of boys and girls across Sweden and I don't think they should send signals that this is okay.

'These sorts of games happen at schools and at sports clubs, but there are also children who end up vulnerable in these situations.'

But the team's press spokesman Hans Hultman refused to apologise for the incident, describing it as 'no big deal'.

He said last night: 'It's a game the players play in different ways. There's nothing else to it.'