April 15 – KV Oostende and Mouscron have both had their club license applications for next season Belgian top flight rejected, the Belgian FA (KBVB) announced on Wednesday.
The submission form the seaside club Oostende was found to be incomplete and not transparent. The license committee highlighted “ambiguity/uncertainty about the funds made available to the club” and “miscellaneous unpaid amounts”.
Last season Oostende struggled financially but since the takeover by the Pacific Media Group those worries have decreased. American owner Paul Conway however is not allowing the license committee access to the financial accounts of his other companies, based in Hong Kong, as there is no legal obligation to do so.
The verdict was even more damning for Mouscron, a club often linked to Israeli agent Pini Zahavi, with questions raised over transparency and various revenue streams. Mouscron’s solvency is also in question as the club failed to pay wages on time in both February and March.
“According to the committee, there are doubts about the continuity of the finances,” said Mouscron in a statement. “The club is convinced that it can prove otherwise at the BAS.”
In the past six years, Mouscron has always needed recourse to the Belgian Court of Arbitration of Sport (BAS) to get their license. The BAS will render a verdict on May 10. Both clubs will be allowed to add to their applications.
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1713539163labto1713539163ofdlr1713539163owedi1713539163sni@o1713539163fni1713539163