The reactions to ex-ref Boucaut’s statements about Hans Vanaken clearly crossed the language border last week. On Monday evening, Boucaut himself responded to the criticism.
Ex-referee Alexandre Boucaut found himself in the eye of the storm last week after a ruling on Hans Vanaken following his red card. There was a lot of criticism in Flanders. Peter Vandenbempt’s criticism in particular has stuck with the ex-ref.
“Boucaut brought up an old frustration, it is easy for him to say that about a player from Club Brugge on the RTBF. I don’t want to make it a community issue, but I don’t think he would have said that about someone from Standard,” Vandenbempt said.
Community issue?
In La Tribune, Boucaut responded, in Dutch, to the analyst’s statements. “I don’t think that is correct on Mr Vandenbempt’s part. He probably doesn’t know me well. It certainly wasn’t my intention to make this a community issue. We can say anything, but I am at peace with myself.”
He tried to put his statement from last week into context a little more. “We know the players, we know their reactions and their behavior. It’s normal to be nicer to someone who is nice. What I said was purely instinctive and without vindictiveness. I am at peace with myself. When you see all the criticism of the referees, it is good that we can also say something that is true and restore the balance a bit.”
