Swedish goalkeeper Adam Reideborn, who was in Sweden’s 2022 Olympic squad, belonged to CSKA Moscow when Russia invaded Ukraine last year.
Despite the war being in full swing, he chose to return last fall, and continue to play in what historically has been the Russian Army team.
It would have been expensive to break the contract
The decision was not appreciated by everyone, and in an interview with Aftonbladet, the 31-year-old – who now plays in Swiss Bern – tells for the first time why he made the decision not to break the contract.
– In my contract it was stated that I would pay two-thirds of the salary in the last year of the contract in fines if I did not complete. It’s about a few million that I would have walked away with if I hadn’t returned last summer, he says, and explains further:
– I didn’t know exactly what the consequences would be. I chose not to end up without a team or without a transfer card if CSKA kept it. Then I decided to go back.
– I would have made the same decision today, I think.
“Heard quite a lot”
Adam Reideborn has received a lot of criticism for his choice, and he says that he has received regular threats.
– I have heard quite a lot and received threats: don’t come home to Stockholm because then we will take you. A little like that. But it hasn’t meant anything to me and I haven’t taken it for granted, he says, and explains that he still hopes to return to Swedish ice hockey:
– I want it, but can’t answer that (if he thinks he’ll get a job). But if I’m not welcome, so be it. I started my career in Sweden and want to play in front of Swedish fans. But it’s not up to me.
– My dream is to play in Djurgården again and help them. It might not be like that now and I haven’t spoken to KG Stoppel for a while now. We talked a lot last summer. But when I chose to go back to the KHL, there was no more talk with Djurgården.