September 4 – Dutch club Vitesse Arnhem have won a temporary reprieve in their battle for survival after a local court overturned a ruling that would have barred the club from professional football.
Arnhem have been on the brink for years, but on Wednesday, they were given some respite after a ruling that their suspension by the Dutch FA (KNVB) should be overturned.
Vitesse and the KNVB have long been at loggerheads for weeks and in August, the Dutch FA confirmed that Arnhem would not be issued a professional licence, bringing an end to the club’s presence in the elite game.
The new decision means that Arnhem, who were playing in the second tier of Dutch football, retain their chances of playing in the elite alive as court proceedings remain ongoing.
“This ruling gives us some breathing room and perspective,” said the club in a statement. “We are thrilled that the court recognises the seriousness of the situation and has suspended the decisions. We remain fully committed to Vitesse’s future. Now, we must first engage in discussions with the KNVB to ensure that the right decisions are made by Vitesse and its stakeholders.”
At the end of the 2023/24 season, the KNVB docked Vitesse 18 points, citing repeated violations of licensing regulations, misinformation and suspected links to Roman Abramovich. As a result, Vitesse were relegated from the Eredivisie after 35 seasons in the top-flight. The club didn’t appeal the decision, competing in the second-tier Eerste Divisie last season and finishing bottom following further points deductions.
Former Chelsea owner Abramovich owned Vitesse from 2003 until 2022 before leaving following the Russian war in Ukraine. Since then, the club has struggled to find funding, with US businessman Coley Parry having attempted a takeover only for the KNVB licensing committee to rule that his Common Group had no capital.
Contact the writer of this story Samindra Kunti at [email protected]