FC Torpedo Moscow’s Kirill Kombarov has come under fire on social media after he posted pictures of a muzzled bear wearing a tie at his two-year-old son’s birthday party

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

A Russian footballer has been criticised for hiring a bear to perform at his son’s second birthday party earlier this week.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Kombarov’s son rides the bear in this now-deleted picture. Photograph: Europics

Midfielder Kirill Kombarov, who plays for FC Torpedo Moscow, came under fire after he posted images of the muzzled bear, also wearing a tie, on his social media profiles. One image, now deleted from his Instagram profile, showed his two-year-old son sitting on the back of the bear while the rest of his family pose behind.

According to MailOnline, the bear was hired from the Stepan Nikulin circus and has appeared in several films. The circus confirmed the bear is available to hire for private parties.

The 27-year-old footballer deleted the picture from his Instagram account after receiving heavy criticism.

Allison Keenan (@alik8) Can someone please rescue this bear from such a horrid life. Shame on you Kirill Kombarov you disgust me. http://t.co/dNBx5i3bWe

Yan M. (@ymatusik) Russian footballer Kombarov throws a birthday party for his son and lets him ride a real bear. Kid you not. http://t.co/DUpE5RyJXH

Kombarov has not responded to the criticism as of yet.