Johannesburg – Chippa United have withdrawn controversial Luc Eymael’s appointment as head coach.
This comes after the club said they took the decision after the backlash from Safa, the government and the public.
The club released the following statement with regards to the withdrawal:
“The Club would like to formally announce that it has withdrawn the appointment of Belgian, Luc Eymael. When processes are complete, a new coaching announcement will be made in due course,” the club statement read.
“After having announced Mr. Eymael’s appointment until the end of the season on Wednesday, 23 December 2020 – the Club has considered public outrage. There was also the reputational damage caused to our brand, and that of our stakeholders, partners as well as our sponsors.”
“We would like to clarify that the initial decision to make this appointment was based on Mr. Eymael’s coaching track record, where we felt he was the best person to take the Club towards our desired top half finish in this PSL season.”
“Outside of the written reports, there was no formal instruction — to us or to any other team- to not employ Mr. Eymael. However, as the Pride of Eastern Cape, we represent the legacies of world-renowned antidiscrimination heroes that come from our Province.”
“The Chilli Boys play an influential role in our surrounding communities through football and through our philanthropic work. We have people that look up to us and on the responsible decisions that we take.
“Our withdrawal of this appointment is an acknowledgement of our stance on such matters, with the Club also having fully informed Mr. Eymael and his representatives on our position.”
The Eastern Cape provincial government also released a statement before the withdrawal, saying that it is concerned that Chippa United Football Club had appointed Luc Eymael as their head coach even though they know about the racist and offensive remarks he made about black people supporting his former club.
“South Africa is founded on principles of human dignity, achievement of equality, advancement of human rights, freedoms and non-racialism. We therefore cannot have a soccer coach who behaves in a manner that is contrary to these values,” the EC government said in a statement.
“The racist and offensive remarks made by Mr Eymael have no place in our society and we don’t think a football club playing in our professional soccer league and a club that is financially supported by the Municipalities of the Eastern Cape government should be coached by an unrepentant racist spewing offensive and derogatory statements about other human beings.”
“It is more disturbing that the owner of Chippa United Football Club, Mr Siviwe “Chippa” Mpengesi does not see anything wrong with the racist and offensive remarks made by Mr Eymael against black people who support the former club coached by Mr Eymael.”
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