Marc Overmars, the technical director of Royal Antwerp and a former star with Arsenal, Ajax and Barcelona, is under scrutiny after the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) escalated his suspension case to FIFA.
This development could have significant implications for his current role and future in football.
Marc Overmars, currently the technical director at Royal Antwerp, faces uncertainty over his position following recent moves by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB).
The KNVB has reported Overmars’ one-year Dutch suspension to FIFA, as per Voetbal International.
This move puts his role at Royal Antwerp at risk.
This suspension stems from findings by the Sports Jurisprudence Institute (ISR) in November, which determined Overmars had engaged in inappropriate behaviour during his tenure at Ajax.
Specifically, he violated Sexual Harassment regulations by not abstaining from sexual intimacies through communication.
The ISR issued a two-year suspension, with one year being conditional. Initially, this suspension was only applicable within the KNVB’s jurisdiction, allowing Overmars to continue his work in Belgium with Antwerp.
However, the KNVB’s decision to report the matter to FIFA could lead to the suspension becoming global.
This development poses a significant threat to Overmars’ current position at Royal Antwerp.
Overmars joined Antwerp on March 21, 2022, and has since contributed to the club’s success by signing players like Gyrano Kerk, Toby Alderweireld, and Vincent Janssen.
Under Mark van Bommel‘s management, Antwerp won its first League title in the club’s history.
The potential global enforcement of his suspension by FIFA now casts a shadow over his future with the club.