The board of directors of the Royal Belgian Football Federation (RBFA) has appointed the six members of its National Chamber against Discrimination and Racism. From next season, this new disciplinary body will impose specific sanctions on clubs, players, coaches and club managers in case of violation of the rules on discrimination. The Chamber was created as a specific and unique body to replace the provincial bodies that have distilled sanctions until today.According to the regulations, all members of the national football federation, from players to video assistants through the presidents, must refrain from any discrimination of race, skin color, nationality or origin but also of gender, kinship, sexual orientation, change of sex, health or of handicap. Offenses will include, in particular, insulting statements, whether verbal or not, inciting hatred or violence for identity reasons and hanging banners, gesturing or speaking discriminatory. These rules will be valid for both amateur and professional football. The intentionality of the offense will not be a necessary condition for the sanction, nor will it be necessary for the offense to take place before, during or after a match to be punishable. “Even facts unrelated to the exercise of a mandate and for which a person acts in his own name may be prosecuted,” announced the federation. The Chamber against Discrimination and Racism may impose various sanctions: simple fine, stadium ban of at least six months or obligation for clubs to play their matches behind closed doors or on neutral ground. In addition, the decisions of the Chamber will be subject to an appeal to the Belgian Court of Arbitration for Sport (CBAS). Clubs, players and all members by extension of the federation will be required to report these infringements. The abitre and the match delegate can also draw up a report on the basis of which the Federal Prosecutor’s Office will decide whether or not to initiate proceedings. The six members who will make up the National Chamber against Discrimination and Racism are Marco Van Haegenborgh (Unia), Mahamat Haroun (father of Faris Haroun), Yves Kabwe Kazadi (inclusion manager of the City Pirates), Antoine Rustin (former head of the cell social at ACFF), Hannelore Hochepied (chief police commissioner) and Anke Renard (lawyer). In March, the RBFA launched “Come Together”, its action plan against racism and discrimination, in which the emphasis was placed on prevention and awareness-raising. The role of the Chamber will be to impose sanctions on people and entities that have not integrated the global message promoted by the federation. Samia Ahrouch, appointed as head of inclusion within the RBFA, will also be able to provide her advice in the event of a violation. (Belga)
