August 8 – Eendracht Aalst, who play in the second tier of Belgian football in a regional league, have been removed from competition by Voetbal Vlaa after mismanagement resulted in the Flemish club losing access to a suitable pitch.
Last year, Turkish investors moved to acquire Aalst and promised to progress the club, but instead, the club failed to obtain licenses to play in the national amateur divisions.
The Turkish management went in search of a new stadium and a new pitch to play in the provincial amateur leagues after Aalst’s town hall expelled the club from the municipal Pierre Cornelisstadion. However, they have not been aable to find a venue.
In response, Voetval Vlaanderen, the governing body in Flanders, has moved to remove Eendracht Aalst from the provincial leagues. In May, the Belgian Court of Arbitration for Sport (BAS) had issued refused Aalst’s license request for the first amateur division.
The club wrote at the time: “The decision has surprised us very much because we believe that together with our lawyers Walter Damen (Antwerp) and Everest Advocaten (Ghent) we have adequately answered all questions and comments of the Football Association. The club has also submitted all necessary proof of payment of VAT, RSZ and player salaries. As soon as we have received the motivation of the BAS we will consider possible further steps. In the meantime, we are waiting for the decision of Voetbal Vlaanderen on the license application for the second amateur class.”
In the 90s, Aalst was a successful club that featured in the top flight of the Belgian game, but ever since the outfit has been in steady decline.
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