The remainder of the Ajax–Feyenoord Premier League match will be played without an audience on Wednesday, September 27 from 2 p.m. This was decided on Monday by the professional football competition board of the KNVB.
Ajax says it “disagrees” and is considering legal action. “Due to national and international matches, the earliest possible time to play Ajax-Feyenoord from Ajax’s point of view is the first week of November,” the Amsterdam club said in a statement. There is no response yet from Feyenoord. FC Volendam indicates that it feels ‘overwhelmed’ by the KNVB decision and that it does not agree with the change in the schedule.
The classic between the two teams from Amsterdam and Rotterdam was finally stopped after 55 minutes on Sunday, because fireworks were thrown twice from the stands onto the field in the Arena. Earlier, the match was stopped because a plastic cup was thrown onto the field. After an abandoned match, the professional football competition board determines what happens to the match. The basic principle is that the competition must be as fair as possible and that a match should therefore preferably be decided on the field, says the KNVB.
Not only the clubs, but also the supporters are victims of this
Ajax
Furthermore, according to the KNVB, the match must be resumed as soon as possible. The time has been determined in consultation with the municipality of Amsterdam. This means that the Ajax-FC Volendam match, which was scheduled for Wednesday, September 27, will be postponed.
Ajax does not like the fact that “the competition and cup program is now being adjusted by the KNVB for four clubs due to the postponement of an abandoned match. Not only the clubs, but also the supporters are victims of this.”
Also read this article: The KNVB took stricter action – the fans abused power
Fifteen arrests
The Amsterdam police have now arrested fifteen people suspected of involvement in the disorder that broke out around the match on Sunday. These are people who allegedly threw stones and fireworks. The person who allegedly threw a plastic cup has also been arrested. “We assume that more arrests will follow soon,” said a spokesperson for the Amsterdam police.
A special investigation team from the Amsterdam police investigates camera images taken in and near the Arena. Film footage taken by visitors to the match has also been handed in to the police and is being examined further. The police are also investigating whether Ajax supporters would have decided well before the match to sabotage the classic if Ajax were to fall behind. “We also hear those messages and see that such plans are reported on social media,” said the spokesperson.
Digital reporting obligation
The Ministry of Justice, the KNVB and municipalities will experiment in three municipalities this football season with a digital reporting obligation for football hooligans with a stadium ban. Mayor Paul Depla of Breda said this on Monday in response to the disturbances surrounding Ajax-Feyenoord. Such a digital reporting obligation has been discussed for years.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice and Security confirms the news. The ministry cannot say which three municipalities will participate in the experiment. “That still needs to be coordinated.” The Ministry of Justice says that a digital reporting obligation has been chosen because reporting by people with an area ban at the police station “requires too much police capacity”.
The digital reporting obligation should make it impossible for rioters to enter or near the stadium during a football match of their club. Depla told the ANP news agency that what happened in Amsterdam was “deeply sad”. “This is the work of so-called football fans who say they act out of club love. It is a fact that in some stadiums the stands are owned by the hard core, who no longer care about anything or anyone. They appropriate the football party. That is probably also the case in the Johan Cruijff Arena.”
Also read this article: If one match comes to symbolize the existential crisis in which Ajax finds itself, it is this Classic