Multiple and reigning Dutch men’s handball champion Lions has filed for bankruptcy “after careful considerations and thorough legal advice”. The club from Sittard-Geleen in Limburg announced this on Monday on the website. “A beautiful era becomes history,” reads the explanation.
The impending bankruptcy of the handball club founded in 2008 is related to the recent court decision that Limburg Lions must pay an amount of 50,000 euros to ex-player João Ramos. The 32-year-old Portuguese handball player was seriously injured a year ago and was therefore unable to play handball for a long time. The club then offered him another role within the club for a lower fee, which Ramos challenged in court.
According to the court in Limburg, Lions acted “seriously culpable” by terminating the employment contract with Ramos while he was in a vulnerable position on the labor market due to his injury. Lions had to continue paying Ramos, who played for the Limburgers for nine years, at least until January 1, 2025. The club cannot bear that.
The handball club will not appeal against the court’s decision. “This decision was made after it became clear that there were no other options given the challenging financial situation the foundation finds itself in,” Lions writes. The Limburgers want to finish the handball season. They are currently third in the Belgian-Dutch competition.