KNVB announces penalty, Young Ajax champions
14 May: The disciplinary committee of the Dutch Football
Association (KNVB) has announced Ajax's punishment for the
violent escalations of
15 April of this year, after the Young
Ajax vs Young Feyenoord league game at Ajax's youth
complex of De Toekomst. Ajax has been handed a fine of 30,000
euros. Also, Young Ajax's first three games of the new season
must be played behind closed doors, without any
spectators.
The penalty is considerably higher than the KNVB's initial
settlement proposal, which included a 15,000 euro fine plus a
deduction of three points in the Beloftencompetitie
('Talent Competion') for Young Ajax. Ajax turned the proposal
down on 04 May, arguing that it would be unfair to punish the
Young Ajax players for the event, as several of them (including
Daniël de Ridder) protected their Feyenoord colleagues
from the Ajax hooligans who attacked them. Young Ajax
coach-assistant Marco van Basten in particular expressed
his anger with this proposal in several media.
Based on investigation of the events KNVB prosecutor Fred
Westerbeke demanded a different punishment on Thursday
night, namely a fine of 20,000 euros plus a conditional
deduction of three points for Young Ajax for next
season. Three points is the maximum amount that can be deducted
for irregularities, according to KNVB regulations. Such a
penalty would not have hurt Young Ajax this season, as they
finished the league four points ahead of the league's #2 and
would have won the championship anyway.
The disciplinary committee came to a verdict this morning
and once again announced a different sentence, agreeing
with Ajax's statament that a deduction of points would not
be appropriate. Instead of a deduction of points, a number
of home fixtures behind closed doors was included in the
verdict, which Ajax can still appeal against. The
club will decide after having read the committee's written
motivation.
Ironically, the KNVB verdict means that Young Ajax is now
officially champion of the 2003-2004
Beloftencompetitie for reserves teams and has also
qualified for next season's 'big' Amstel Cup once again. The
Ajax reserves 'semi-officially' clinched the championship on
Monday 10 May, by winning the last away fixture of the season
at Young PSV by the score of 1-2, thereby taking a four point
lead. However, the title was not yet official as the club was
still waiting for the KNVB's verdict.
Young Ajax can still grab the 'double', as the team also
made it to the final of the Amstel Malt Cup (Amstel Cup for
reserves teams). The fact that Young Feyenoord is the opponent
makes this fixture an emotionally charged one, regarded as a
'high risk' match by the KNVB. The final is scheduled for
Monday 17 May and was originally assigned to Roda JC's Parkstad
Limburg Stadium in Kerkrade. After the 15 April incidents at De
Toekomst, however, the city of Kerkrade does not want to host
the match anymore, out of fear for hooligan violence. According
to a report on Ajax Netwerk the KNVB has informed the clubs
that the final will be played at a secret location, to
which the players will be secretly escorted.
The Ajax delegation will soon be back in the court
room of the KNVB headquarters in Zeist: on Monday 17 May the
KNVB will come to a verdict in the 'Trabelsi
versus Ajax' case. (MP)
Source: Ajax.nl, NOS Teletekst
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