Belgian FA in turmoil as Van Den Bulck loses trust of board and resigns

May 19 - After less than a year in office, Paul Van Den Bulck (pictured) has resigned as president of the Belgian federation (RBFA) due to tensions with the board. He had ousted longtime Peter Bossaert as CEO two months earlier.

Van Den Bulck took charge of Belgian football in June 2022, succeeding Mehdi Bayat. However, on Thursday he announced his resignation, saying he could no longer perform his duties as president effectively given the current circumstances. He expressed hope that stepping down would allow the board to continue its work.

In a six-page letter, the directors raised concerns about Van Den Bulck's approach to governance and pointed to a significant crisis of confidence within the organization.

The letter stated: "Following Opération Mains Propres (the police investigation into match-fixing and corruption in Belgian football), the decision was taken to create a non-executive and professional executive management. Today, we believe that principle is being violated."

Trustees have also expressed dissatisfaction with Van Den Bulck's tendency to involve an outside law firm in internal FA affairs. They criticized the lack of transparency and said such actions were contrary to good governance practices.

The departure of Van Den Bulck is the latest crisis to hit the RBFA. Just two months ago, he forced CEO Bossaert out following a dispute over bonus structures changed without the approval of the federation's board.

Under Bossaert's new contract, the bonus was no longer linked to commercial references but rather to specific requirements such as the meeting of the board of directors six times a year, the delivery of a report on good governance by a third party and the generation of €15m revenue from UEFA revenue and sponsorship. These conditions were found to be easily achievable.

Contact the author of this story at moc.l1684634661labto1684634661ofdlr1684634661owedi1684634661sni@i1684634661tnuk.1684634661ardni1684634661mas1684634661

Sports May 21, 2023 0 33 Add to Reading List

May 19 - After less than a year in office, Paul Van Den Bulck (pictured) has resigned as president of the Belgian federation (RBFA) due to tensions with the board. He had ousted longtime Peter Bossaert as CEO two months earlier.

Van Den Bulck took charge of Belgian football in June 2022, succeeding Mehdi Bayat. However, on Thursday he announced his resignation, saying he could no longer perform his duties as president effectively given the current circumstances. He expressed hope that stepping down would allow the board to continue its work.

In a six-page letter, the directors raised concerns about Van Den Bulck's approach to governance and pointed to a significant crisis of confidence within the organization.

The letter stated: "Following Opération Mains Propres (the police investigation into match-fixing and corruption in Belgian football), the decision was taken to create a non-executive and professional executive management. Today, we believe that principle is being violated."

Trustees have also expressed dissatisfaction with Van Den Bulck's tendency to involve an outside law firm in internal FA affairs. They criticized the lack of transparency and said such actions were contrary to good governance practices.

The departure of Van Den Bulck is the latest crisis to hit the RBFA. Just two months ago, he forced CEO Bossaert out following a dispute over bonus structures changed without the approval of the federation's board.

Under Bossaert's new contract, the bonus was no longer linked to commercial references but rather to specific requirements such as the meeting of the board of directors six times a year, the delivery of a report on good governance by a third party and the generation of €15m revenue from UEFA revenue and sponsorship. These conditions were found to be easily achievable.

Contact the author of this story at moc.l1684634661labto1684634661ofdlr1684634661owedi1684634661sni@i1684634661tnuk.1684634661ardni1684634661mas1684634661