The Dutch football organization (KNVB) announced on Wednesday that Marc Overmars, a former international for the Netherlands, will be barred from professional football for a minimum of one year for acting inappropriately with women while playing for Ajax Amsterdam.
The KNVB backed up earlier claims from the Dutch daily NRC, which cited FIFA, the international football governing body, as claiming it had taken over Overmars’ punishment in the Netherlands late last year.
Overmars quit his job at Ajax in February 2022, admitting to “unacceptable” behaviour after it emerged within the club that he had sent inappropriate messages and photographs to several women who worked there.
An independent sports tribunal last year banned Overmars from any position in Dutch football for two years over the incidents, with one year suspended.
The KNVB then asked FIFA to turn the domestic suspension into a global one.
“We have a duty to report this sanction to FIFA’s disciplinary committee … which has decided to take over the suspension as of Nov. 16, 2023,” the KNVB said in a statement.
Overmars is technical director at Belgian side Royal Antwerp, who he joined shortly after his sudden departure from Ajax.
A spokesperson for Overmars told NRC that the former Netherlands, Arsenal and Barcelona winger was informed of the suspension but was not yet ready to comment.
Overmars could appeal FIFA’s sanction, the newspaper said.
