Hit by a "Rating Bomb" on Job Platforms
Controversy Grows Over Dubious Initial Apology Statement
After last week's US Open match, a Polish CEO who snatched a hat that Polish tennis star Kamil Majchrzak had gifted to a young fan is facing a fierce backlash, including significant damage to his company's reputation. The man is now attempting to contain the situation by issuing a belated apology.
This man, identified as Piotr Szczerek, is the CEO of the Polish landscaping materials company Drogbruk. On August 28, at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, during the second round of the men's singles tournament, Majchrzak took off his hat and tried to hand it to a young boy in the stands. However, Szczerek snatched the hat and put it in his wife's bag. Despite the boy shouting, "What are you doing?" Szczerek ignored him.
Polish landscaping company CEO Piotr Szczerek is snatching the hat of Kamil Majchrzak from the boy's hand. Photo captured from social media.
Szczerek then disregarded the stunned child and proceeded to get Majchrzak's autograph on a water bottle. This scene was captured by broadcast cameras and aired live, leading to a flood of criticism from fans targeting the so-called "hat thief." Online sleuths quickly identified the man who took the hat, sharing his real name, company, and some personal details about his family online.
Subsequently, the company's social media accounts closed their comment sections. In addition, on the job platform Gowork, the company's reputation plummeted to a rating of 1.4 stars due to a barrage of negative reviews.
"Life Is First Come, First Served... Legal Action Against Malicious Comments" Statement Also Circulates
Various online communities and social media platforms began circulating a statement, allegedly from Szczerek, whose authenticity could not be verified. The statement begins, "A huge controversy has erupted online over an incident at a recent tennis match. Of course, it's because of the famous hat." He continues, "Yes, I took it. I took it quickly. But as I always say, life is first come, first served. Some people may dislike this, but please, let's not make a global scandal over a single hat. A hat is just a hat. If you had been faster, you would have taken it." He adds, "Regarding online hate, I want to emphasize once again that insulting a public figure can lead to legal consequences. All insulting comments, slander, and threats may result in lawsuits."
As the Scandal Grows, "Please Give Me a Second Chance" Plea
As the controversy intensified, Szczerek posted an apology on his company's Gowork page on August 31. In the post, Szczerek wrote, "Only after reading countless comments did I realize that I truly deserve the contempt and criticism I have received," and pleaded, "Please give me a second chance. I want to repay my debt to the boy and to society, and to restore the honor of myself and my homeland, Poland." He also stated that he would auction off the hat he took and donate the proceeds to charity.
Polish tennis star Kamil Majchrzak (left) is meeting again with the boy Brock, who had his hat taken, and taking a commemorative photo. Photo captured from Kamil Majchrzak's Instagram.
Meanwhile, after realizing what had happened, Majchrzak searched for the boy through social media and was able to meet him. On his Instagram, Majchrzak wrote, "I didn't know my hat didn't reach the boy," and asked, "Please help me find him. If the boy or his parents see this, please send me a direct message." Within an hour of posting, he was able to contact the boy and said he was "moved by the power of the internet." Majchrzak met with the boy, gave him a new hat, and posted a commemorative photo on social media.
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