Marc Overmars, a former Dutch soccer star who turned a prime govt at one in every of Europe’s most distinguished groups, has abruptly left his job after admitting to sending inappropriate textual content messages to feminine colleagues.
Overmars, 48, had been director of soccer affairs at AFC Ajax, the Amsterdam soccer group, since 2012. He had not too long ago renewed his contract till June 2026, in response to Ajax, which introduced the resignation late Sunday. Many particulars remained unclear, together with whether or not fees had been filed in opposition to Overmars.
Overmars apologized for his conduct in an announcement issued by Ajax, wherein he stated he was “ashamed.”
“Final week I used to be confronted with experiences about my conduct. And the way this has come throughout to others,” Overmars stated. “Sadly, I didn’t understand that I used to be crossing the road with this, however that was made clear to me in latest days.”
“For somebody in my place, this conduct is unacceptable. I now see that too. However it’s too late. I see no different choice however to go away Ajax,” he added.
Overmars performed as a winger for a few of Europe’s prime soccer groups, together with Ajax, Arsenal and Barcelona, in addition to the Dutch nationwide group.
Ajax is at present main the Eredivisie, the very best degree {of professional} soccer within the Netherlands, and is the defending nationwide champion.
The resignation comes as a sexual misconduct scandal dominates the information and has captured nationwide consideration within the Netherlands after allegations emerged of widespread sexual misconduct at a preferred TV expertise present. Consultants have stated that points surrounding consent and sexual misconduct have lengthy been ignored within the Netherlands.
Leen Meijaard, the chairman of Ajax’s supervisory board, referred to as Overmars “in all probability the most effective soccer director that Ajax has had.” However, he added, after consulting an skilled and the group’s chief govt they concluded that it was not an choice for him to proceed in his function.
“It’s devastating for the ladies who’ve needed to cope with this conduct. Once we heard the information, we instantly acted,” Meijaard stated. “Sadly, he has actually gone over the road.”
The soccer world has seen a number of harassment scandals not too long ago. The top of a program run by FIFA, the world soccer governing physique, to convey collectively luminaries of the sport, FIFA Legends, was discovered to have sexually harassed a subordinate in 2019. In 2020, feminine soccer gamers, together with some who performed in Haiti’s nationwide soccer program, accused senior soccer officers of coercing gamers into having intercourse.
Edwin van der Sar, a former star goalkeeper who’s at present Ajax’s chief govt and who performed with Overmars at Ajax within the Nineties, referred to as the state of affairs “appalling” and stated that the membership would pay extra consideration to issues of misconduct within the close to future.
“A secure sport and dealing local weather is essential,” van der Sar stated. “We’re engaged on one thing very great right here at Ajax, so this information may even be a blow to everybody who cares about Ajax.”
