May 4 – Yet again, Belgium’s Pro League has delayed the decision to rubber-stamp Club Brugge’s coronation as champions because of the evolving lockdown measures in the country and concerns over the TV rights contract. The league’s general assembly will now meet on May 15.
At the start of April, the Belgian league recommended the cancellation of the season, sending shock waves across Europe and invoking the ire of governing body UEFA, but what should have been a formality has turned into an act of extended heel-dragging: the Pro League’s general assembly has not yet confirmed the league leaders as champions.
It’s the fourth time that the meeting of the general assembly has been postponed. Last Monday, league representatives and FA representatives met with Belgian government officials to discuss how the easing of the lockdown measures in the country would reshape the immediate future of the domestic league.
The Belgian government has prohibited collective training sessions with physical contact until at least June 8, but local authorities haven’t yet adopted a definite policy about the football season, which means the clubs are not able to invoke ‘force majeure’ in the relationship with TV rights holders, or fend off other potential legal claims on the same grounds.
On Monday, Belgium introduced a first number of measures to loosen the lockdown and on May 11 a second round of measures is expected. The government will meet on May 15 as well to discuss Belgium’s recovery plan further and might lift restrictions on training sessions by June, which would effectively end the season.
The dithering over a final decision highlights the chaos in the Belgian game. Top flight clubs KV Oostende, Mouscron and Standard failed to receive pro licenses for next season, while in the second tier of the game the situation is considerably worse. Lokeren, Lommel, Roeselare and Virton were denied a license, potentially leading to the collapse of the eight-team league.
After failing to secure any new investors, Lokeren has been declared bankrupt. KV Oostende received a lifeline following the acquisition of the club by American investment group PMG and Marouane Fellaini loaned €3 million to his former club Standard to alleviate the most pressing financial concerns. The BAS, Belgium’s equivalent of CAS, will review each case on May 10 and is expected to, at least, grant the top flight clubs clemency.
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1713529015labto1713529015ofdlr1713529015owedi1713529015sni@o1713529015fni1713529015