- Piotr Szczerek was filmed taking a signed cap meant for a child at the US Open
- Szczerek allegedly defended his action, calling it "first come, first served"
- His company's rating dropped to 1.4 stars after backlash on Gowork platform
A video of Piotr Szczerek, the CEO of the Polish company Drogbruk, went viral after he was spotted slyly snatching a signed cap given to a child by a tennis player during the ongoing US Open tournament. Now, an image of his statement defending his actions went viral on social media, as he allegedly said that "let's not make a global scandal out of the hat" and even threatened to sue those making offensive comments. The source of the statement can't be confirmed as his social media accounts were deactivated. But some Reddit users claimed the statement was published on Gowork's forum.
Social media users slammed him over his action, and his company's reputation also tanked, with a rating on Gowork dropping to 1.4 stars out of 5 after thousands of negative reviews.
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What exactly happened?
Szczerek is at the centre of a controversy after a viral video showed him taking a signed cap from tennis player Kamil Majchrzak meant for a child. After winning a match, Majchrzak tried to give the cap to a young fan named Brock. However, before Brock could receive it, Szczerek grabbed the cap and put it in his partner's bag.
The incident sparked massive fury on social media, with many criticising the Polish CEO's actions as "entitled" and "disgusting". On GoWork, many users have even threatened to boycott Drogbruk's services.
Drogbruk is a Polish company founded in 1999 by Szczerek and his wife Anna, which specialises in paving and landscaping solutions. As per reports, it has supported local sports projects, sponsored tennis tournaments, and also launched programs to help young athletes.
The Polish millionaire Piotr Szczerek, who infamously went viral at the US Open for grabbing Majchrzak's hat, which the player intended to give to a kid, spoke up about the matter in this statement.
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Szczerek's apology and confusion
The social media accounts of Szczerek are turned off, but a statement, said to be written by him, went viral.
As per the statement, Szczerek defended himself, stating, "Yes, I took it. Yes, I did it quickly. But as I've always said, life is first come, first served." He also warned of potential legal action against those spreading misinformation or insulting him online.
Full statement (translated): "The recent incident at the tennis match has caused a disproportionate online uproar. It's all about the famous hat, of course. Yes, I took it. Yes, I did it quickly. But as I've always said, life is first come, first served. I understand that some people might not like it, but please, let's not make a global scandal out of the hat. It's just a hat. If you were faster, you would have it. Regarding online hate, I remind you that insulting a public figure is subject to legal liability. All offensive comments, slander, and insinuations will be analysed for the possibility of taking the matter to court. In the end, chin up, hats off, less venom, more sportsmanship."
What was Majchrzak's Response?
Majchrzak took to social media to find the young fan. The tennis player gifted him a new signed cap and other tennis goodies after locating him. "Today, after warm up, I had a nice meeting," the tennis pro wrote, adding: "Do you recognise [the cap]?"
