Judge rejects Vitesse appeal: club remains without a professional license | OneFootball

Vitesse received bad news from the court in Utrecht on Friday afternoon, as Voetbal International reports. The club attempted to regain its professional license through summary proceedings, but the court rejected their request. The KNVB’s decision therefore stands, and Vitesse are temporarily banned from professional football.

VI break down the events. The judge didn’t address the merits of the case, but focused primarily on whether the KNVB had adhered to its own rules. According to the ruling, it had. The judge saw no reason to suspend the KNVB’s appeals committee’s decision. This means Vitesse are not allowed to play against Almere City on Saturday’s season opener and are therefore still not part of the Keuken Kampioen Divisie.

This is a hard blow for the club, its supporters, and the city of Arnhem – with many fans showing up to the court proceedings.

Vitesse had hoped for a final chance to secure its survival. The court acknowledged the social consequences but did not find the KNVB’s decision unreasonable or negligent enough to warrant intervention.

What exactly will happen to Vitesse remains unclear. Legal proceedings could still follow, but that often takes months. For now, Vitesse face significant uncertainty, without a license and without a league. A future in professional football seems further away than ever.

GBeNeFN | Max Bradfield