A bomb has just exploded in the Belgian football landscape. Three years after the break-up of Footgate in Belgium, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office announced that it was prosecuting 57 people. Among those called to appear in court, we find several very influential people in Belgian football such as the president of Club Bruges Bart Verhaeghe, the manager of Blauw & Zwart Vincent Mannaert, the manager of La Gantoise Michel Louwagie, the president of Standard Bruno Venanzi, but also Mehdi Bayat (managing director of Charleroi) and Matthias Leterme (manager of Kortrijk).
Former leaders like Patrick Janssens (Ghent), François De Keersmaeker and Steven Maertens (Belgian Union) are also suspected. Just like the two former arbitrators, Sébastien Delferière and Bart Vertenten against whom the prosecution would hold evidence of corruption.
Other managers and staff members of Belgian clubs are also being prosecuted for corruption, including Herman Van Holsbeeck, Ivan Leko, Glen De Boeck, Peter Maes or even the coach of the Red Devils goalkeepers, Erwin Lemmens.
The 57 people prosecuted have a link of near or far with the practices of the two agents of Belgian football: Mogi Bayat and Dejan Veljkovic. The first cited is part of the list of 57 people suspected. He is being sued for forgery in writing during various transfers. Veljkovic, meanwhile, enjoys his status as a repentant (the first in the history of Belgian justice) and is not prosecuted.
Alongside these 57 people that the prosecution wishes to prosecute, several dozen people are being prosecuted for tax purposes. Players and staff members who have received part of their salary in black via questionable arrangements will receive a tax adjustment.
This is only the first step in the judicial part of the case. On January 27, the case will go before the Indictment Chamber.
The complete list of the 57 defendants:
– Uros Jankovic, partner of Veljkovic
– Thierry Steemans, player agent
– Johan Timmermans, former president of Mechelen
– Olivier Somers, shareholder and chairman of Mechelen
– Stefaan Vanroy, former sports director of Mechelen
– Herman Stijlemans, manager sportif de Malines
– Nedzad Tanovic, partner of Valjkovic
– Philippe Collin, general secretary of Anderlecht
– Herman Van Holsbeeck, senior manager d’Anderlecht
– Laurent Denis, agent
– Goran Veljkovic, brother of Veljkovic
– Olivier Renard, former player and former sports director of Standard and Antwerp
– Bruno Venanzi, President of the Standard
– Patrick Turcq, ex-manager of Courtrai and La Gantoise
– Luc Devroe, agent, ex-director Roulers, Ostende et Anderlecht
– Luc Denteneer, former OHL sports manager
– Paul Van der Schueren, ex-CEO of the OHL
– Lazo Liposki, ex-sports director of Anzhi Makhachkala
– Branko Veljkovic, father of Dejan
– Steven Martens, former secretary general of the Belgian Union
– Francois De Keersmaecker, ex-president of the Belgian Union
– Melchior Roosens, ex-president de Waasland-Beveren
– André Opgenhaffen, ex-secrétaire de Waasland-Beveren
– Herbert Houben, ex-President de Genk
– Patrick Janssens, former CEO of Genk
– Filip Aerden, CFO of Genk
– Roger Lambrecht, ex-president of Lokeren
– Ugljesa Jankovic
– Vincent Mannaert, manager de Bruges
– Bart Verhaeghe, president of Bruges
– Peter Maes, trainer
– Erwin Lemmens, goalkeeper coach in Genk and Lokeren and member of the Red Devils technical staff
– An Bruyndonckx, ex-wife of Peter Maes
– Marija Bogojevska, episode of Dejan Veljkovic
– Luc Anthonissen, bank manager
– Ivan Leko, coach
– Ronny Van Geneugden, entraîneur OHL et Waasland-Beveren
– Yannick Ferrera, trainer
– Glen De Boeck, trainer
– Dirk Huyck, ex-president of Waasland-Beveren
– Olivier Swolfs, senior director financier de Waasland-Beveren
– Evert Maeschalck, agent
– Thomas Troch, agent
– Walter Mortelmans, agent
– Bart Vertenten, arbitre
– Sébastien Delferiere, referee
– Arnaud ‘Mogi’ Bayat, agent
– Mehdi Bayat, Managing Director of Charleroi
– Herman Nijs, director de Genk
– Dirk Degraen, ex-director de Genk
– Michel Louwagie, General Manager La Gantoise
– Mattias Leterme, manager of Kortrijk
– Johan Van Biesbroeck, CEO Anderlecht
– Pierre-Yves Hendrickx, administrative director of Charleroi
– Christian N’Sengi-Biembe, youth coach and manager of the Congo national team
– BVBA Creative and Management Group, sprl de Mogi Bayat
