Kickboxer Badr Hari arrested in Amsterdam on suspicion of assaulting ex-girlfriend
Kickboxer Badr Hari was arrested in Amsterdam on Sunday on suspicion of assaulting his ex-girlfriend. The fighter remains in custody as police investigate the case.
The Amsterdam police confirmed that a 40-year-old Amsterdam resident was detained in connection with an assault. “The report of the assault came in on Sunday,” a police spokesperson said. The arrest was not made in the act, and further details have not been disclosed.
Hari has been involved in multiple violent incidents in the past. His most notable conviction was for the assault of businessman Koen Everink in 2012.
During the Sensation White event at the Amsterdam Arena, Hari severely beat Everink in a skybox. According to the Netherlands Forensic Institute, the force of the blows and kicks was comparable to being struck by a horse or a car collision. In 2017, Hari was sentenced to two years in prison, with ten months suspended.
During the Everink case, allegations of violence against Hari’s then ex-girlfriend Rosa were also brought up in court. Although Rosa did not press charges, text messages she sent to a friend were used as evidence.
“Badr went on a rampage,” one of her messages read. “He lost control. I’m covered in bruises. It’ll take a while before I can wear a bikini again. I have a concussion, and the house is a wreck.” Hari was ultimately acquitted of these allegations.
In recent years, Hari has primarily made headlines for his kickboxing matches. He fought Rico Verhoeven in high-profile bouts in 2016 and 2019, losing both fights. “The rivalry between Badr and me really put kickboxing and Glory on the map,” Verhoeven said. “Everyone wanted to see this, from sports fans to people who normally don’t watch kickboxing.”
