Standard and Charleroi face a court ban that worries the Belgian Union
The closed-door match this weekend between Standard and Charleroi sparked a heated controversy, while Mehdi Bayat recalled a judicial precedent that could force the Belgian Union to review its supporter exclusion rules.
A closed-door that makes the ink flow
The match between Standard and Charleroi, played without spectators, was described as a “Walloon clash without supporters”. No supporter was able to attend the game, even though no one wanted to reach this solution. This situation will nevertheless be confirmed on Sunday, according to the organizers.
Recall of a judicial precedent
Invited by SudInfo alongside Pierre François, Mehdi Bayat mentioned a case that recently shook the Sporting. He recalled that a year and a half ago, Charleroi had banned about sixty supporters from accessing the stadium, a decision that led them to file a lawsuit before the Charleroi Court of First Instance.
The judge ruled that, based on the club's internal regulations, the exclusion was legal but that each supporter had to see the reason for their ban detailed. The club had presented a “global package” by linking all supporters to the same reason, which was criticised.
Reactions from the administration and the leaders
According to the delegated administrator of Sporting, the verdict should prompt the Belgian federation to reflect. “I think that the Belgian federation, or its legal department, should take a position regarding this judgment,” said Mehdi Bayat. He added that the individual distinction imposed by the civil judge seemed difficult to apply when a collective decision is taken by the federation's prosecutor's office.
Mehdi Bayat also justified closing a stand when the situation deteriorates, stating that “many supporters in the stand often have nothing to do with it and could shake the culprits.”
The debate highlights the tension between stadium safety and supporters' right to attend matches, a topic that could push the Belgian Union to revise its judicial procedures.