The Polish CEO who was filmed snatching a signed hat from a child at the US Open has admitted he made a “serious mistake” after the clip went viral and sparked international backlash.
Piotr Szczerek, head of paving stone company Drogbruk, was caught on camera taking a hat signed by tennis star Kamil Majchrzak that appeared to be meant for a young fan. Online outrage was swift, with hundreds of comments branding him a “thief,” “jerk,” and “embarrassing.”
“I would like to unequivocally apologize to the boy who was harmed, his family, as well as all the fans and the player himself. I made a serious mistake,” Szczerek wrote in a statement shared on Facebook.
Polish CEO claims he stole boy’s hat by accident at tennis game
Szczerek explained he believed Majchrzak was handing him the cap for his sons, who had asked for autographs, and said he instinctively reached out to grab it. “Today I know that what I did looked like deliberately taking a souvenir from a child. That was not my intention, but it doesn’t change the fact that I hurt the boy and disappointed the fans.”
The cap has since been returned to the child, who also got the chance to meet Majchrzak as a result of the incident.
Meanwhile, Drogbruk’s reputation has taken a hit. Forums in Poland have been flooded with negative reviews targeting the company, with critics using the viral moment to mock Szczerek’s actions.
Adding to the confusion, a post circulated online appearing to show Szczerek defending himself with the phrase “life is first come, first served.” He has since denied authoring that message. “All alleged statements appearing online are not authored by us,” he clarified.
Szczerek closed his apology by stressing that he and his wife have long supported children and young athletes, admitting the scandal was a painful lesson in humility: “One careless moment can ruin years of work and support.”
“I will continue to actively participate in initiatives supporting children and youth, and in actions against violence and hate,” he added. “I believe that only through actions can lost trust be rebuilt.”
He’s not the first CEO to find himself embroiled in controversy due to their behavior in an audience this year. Back in, July, the CEO of tech company Astronomer was caught in an alleged affair with the company’s head of HR, while attending a Coldplay concert together, making headlines worldwide.
