Arnold Schwarzenegger drop-kicked from behind in South Africa

CAPE TOWN – Former world champion bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger was shockingly drop-kicked from behind while admiring athletes at his sports festival in South Africa on Saturday night.

The 71-year-old actor and former California governor is currently in Sandton, South Africa, for the Arnold Classic Africa competition, a multi-sport event held in Johannesburg each May.

He was attacked when greeting fans at the Sandton Convention Centre.

https://twitter.com/Schwarzenegger/status/1129805366513025028

A video shows Schwarzenegger on the sidelines filming a rope-skipping competition on a phone. As he turns back around to hand the phone over, a man runs from behind and jump-kicks Schwarzenegger in the back.

Security quickly grabbed the man and took him away. A few moments later, a person can be heard repeatedly shouting, "Help me! I need a Lamborghini!"

The Terminator star shrugged off that attack, writing on Twitter later that he hadn't even noticed he had been kicked.

He joked: "Thanks for your concerns, but there is nothing to worry about.

"I thought I was just jostled by the crowd, which happens a lot.

"I only realized I was kicked when I saw the video like all of you.

"I’m just glad the idiot didn’t interrupt my Snapchat."

Thanks for your concerns, but there is nothing to worry about. I thought I was just jostled by the crowd, which happens a lot. I only realized I was kicked when I saw the video like all of you. I’m just glad the idiot didn’t interrupt my Snapchat.

— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) May 18, 2019

A statement from the event organisers said he was "sadly and unexpectedly attacked by a crazed fan" after they had "breached security".

It added: "Sandton Convention Centre security responded swiftly by apprehending the offender and handing him over to police."