Marc Overmars suspended for one year over inappropriate behavior, sports institute rules

The Sports Jurisdiction Institute (ISR) suspended Marc Overmars for one year due to inappropriate behavior during his time as director of football affairs at Ajax. The ISR considered it proven that Overmars violated the Sexual Harassment regulations. He failed to comply with the rule to “abstain from sexual intimacies through any means of communication,” NOS reports

For one year, Overmars is not allowed to hold a position within the KNVB or organizations affiliated with the Dutch football association. He can, therefore, continue his work as technical director at Antwerp. The Belgian club appointed him a few weeks after his resignation from Ajax amid multiple allegations of sexually transgressive behavior.

In its sentencing, the ISR considered that the allegations against Overmars got a lot of publicity and damaged his reputation. At the same time, Overmars has been guilty of sexually inappropriate behavior for a long time, as he himself acknowledged.

“Given his position as statutory director and de facto leader within the Ajax organization, Overmars could have been expected to be aware of the exemplary role he had and that he would refrain from such behavior, even when he believed it took place based on reciprocity and willingness,” the ISR said in its ruling.

The ISR also placed Overmars on probation for two years, with another year’s conditional suspension.