Lommel nightmare continues

No show
Lommel, who along with fellow top-flight side KV Mechelen have been refused a professional license because of €2m worth of debts, will not compete against KAA Gent on Sunday and against Sporting Lokeren St-Niklaas Waasland the following weekend. They will be awarded 5-0 defeats in both games.

Desperate battle
Former Lommel club president Dirk Vanden Boer is still battling to pay off the clubs' debts to the Belgian Football Association (KBVB) to enable them to play in the third division, the bottom professional tier, next season. Yesterday, Vanden Boer had a meeting with the KBVB in order to set up a plan for the payment of the club's debts to the association

Committee meeting
The size of this debt has not been revealed, but Lommel's fate will be decided when the executive committee of the KBVB meets on 12 April to decide whether the club has any options other than closure.

Waiting game
"We have to wait until 12 April in order to know how to make plans for the future," said Vanden Boer. "How can a person or company invest in a club going to the third division without knowing exactly how much they have to pay to the KBVB?"

Amateur option
Depending on the executive committee's decision, Lommel may be allowed to complete their season playing with a side composed of amateur players, in much the same way as Mechelen have. However, unless the club can clear their debts to the KBVB, they will be sent back to the regional amateur leagues in Belgium.