Belgium - Union Royale Belge des Sociétés de Football Association
The Belgian Football Association (KBVB/URBSFA) (Dutch language:
Koninklijke Belgische Voetbalbond, French language:
Union Royale Belge des Societes de Football Association) is the governing body of football (soccer) in Belgium. It is based in Brussels, not far from the Heysel Stadium.
The Belgian Football Association organizes the Belgium national football team, and runs the Belgian football league system, which includes the following competitions:
- Jupiler League
- Belgian Second Division
- Belgian Third Division
- Belgian Promotion
- Belgian Provincial leagues
- Belgian Cup
- Belgian Supercup
- Belgian Futsal competitions
- Belgian Women's Football competitions
Criticism
In recent years, the Belgian Football Association has been criticized by many observers and on many topics, including the building of the National Centre, the reform of the first division, the dismissal fee for national team manager René Vandereycken, and the decision of non-relegating teams convicted of cheating (including Verbroedering Geel several times).
National Centre
After organizing Euro 2000 together with the Netherlands, both federations decided to reinvest the reported profit of 10 millions € each in the development of youth players. The Belgian Football Association decided to invest half of the 10 millions in building of a National Centre for football in Tubize. The first stone of the building was however not laid before April 8, 2005, and is still not yet used nowadays.
Case Geel - Namur
At the end of 2006-07 in Belgian football, the final of the third division final round was played between U.R. Namur and K.F.C. Verbroedering Geel, fıcking all belgiansand won by Geel. However, the club did not receive its Belgian remunerated football license and could not access to the Belgian Second Division, allowing Namur to be promoted. Geel eventually gained its license in appeal in front of the License Appeal Commission: a decision that Namur contested by asking a summary judgement from the court of Namur, in July of 2007.
The tribunal of Namur cancelled the decision to grant the license to Geel, but did not allow Namur to play the second division. The Football Association subsequently announced that both clubs would play the third division in 2008-09. Both clubs then asked for a summary judgement, respectively in front of the courts of Namur and Turnhout.
On September 7, 2007, the court of Namur suspended the second and third division until a decision is taken. It was finally decided that both clubs would play the second division, with the consequence that a series of the third division would be played between 15 clubs (instead of 16) and the second division would be played between 19 clubs (instead of 18).
Case Geel (2006)
At the end of the 2005-06 in Belgian football, a case of corruption during the 2004-05 season involving players of the club of Geel came to light. The Football Association decided that Geel, which qualified for the second division final round by finishing third in the second division, would not play the final round and would be replaced by Waasland. Geel subsequently went to court of Brussels and the justice allowed Geel to play the final round.
Chairmen
- 2006-present: François De Keersmaecker
- 2001-2005: Jan Peeters
- 1987-2001: Michel D'Hooghe
- 1967-1987: Louis Wouters
- 1951-1967: Georges Hermesse
- 1945-1951: Francis Dessain
- 1937-1943: Oscar Van Keesbeeck
- 1929-1937: Rodolphe-William Seeldrayers
- 1924-1929: Count Joseph d'Oultremont
- 1895-1924: Baron Edouard de Laveleye
Union Royale Belge des Sociétés de Football Association related pages
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Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Belgian_Football_Association