KV Mechelen requested a postponement of the league match against OH Leuven in mid-January. Several players, including goalkeepers Coucke and Wenssens, have tested positive for coronavirus. Malinwa thought he was complying with Pro League regulations, but this is a ruling that Wenssens was a U21 goalkeeper and did not count. As a statement, Malinoa decided not to go to Den Drive.
The disciplinary board of professional football agreed with KV Mechelen, but the OHL did not. “The club believes that by not showing up for the match, KV Mechelen has taken the law into their own hands and defeating a loss is the only possible outcome. This decision sets an important precedent in the sport,” the statement on the club’s website said last month.
The case was discussed before BAS last Friday. This now agrees with O. H. Leuven. A match against KV Mechelen shall not be replayed and counted as a loss against KV Mechelen.
The decision means a serious blow through the law for KV Mechelen. It now appears that they can forget the play-off for the champions altogether, and Anderlecht’s gap remains eight points with four days left to play. KV Mechelen replied succinctly on Twitter: “We would have preferred to defend our chances in a sporty way.”
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