Overmars gets Dutch ban over sexually explicit messages

Amsterdam (AFP): Disgraced former international Marc Overmars on Thursday received a one-year fixed ban from working in Dutch football after sending sexually explicit pictures and videos to women staff.

The ex-Netherlands winger quit as Ajax’s director of football in February 2022 after admitting sending a “series of inappropriate messages” to female colleagues, saying he was “ashamed” of his behaviour.

A month later, he got a “second chance” at Royal Antwerp, appointed as technical director for the Belgian club.

The Dutch Sports Tribunal (ISR) ruled Overmars should be prohibited from “exercising any function” with an organisation affiliated with the Dutch FA for two years, one of which was suspended.

“When considering the appropriate punishment, the disciplinary committee took into account the fact that this affair has received a lot of publicity and that the accused has been damaged by it,” the ISR said in its ruling.

Nevertheless, it noted that the “inappropriate behaviour” had gone on for a long time and that there had been multiple instances.

Given the 50-year-old is now working in Belgium, the ruling is unlikely to have an immediate consequence.

Overmars won the Champions League with Ajax in 1995 before going on to play for Arsenal and Barcelona.

Internationally, he represented the Netherlands at four major tournaments — the 1994 and 1998 World Cups and 2000 and 2004 European championships.

After his playing career came to end, he became sporting director at Ajax in 2012.