Sacked referee Vertenten demands 130,000 compensation for “wrongful dismissal”

A football referee that was sacked by the Belgian Football Association (BFA) for alleged involvement in the match fixing scandal has put in a 130,000 euro compensation claim against the BFA for wrongful dismissal. News of Bart Vertenten’s claim first appeared in Tuesday’s edition of the daily ‘Het Laatste Nieuws’ and has been confirmed by VRT News sources. 

Bart Vertenten was dismissed by the Belgian Football Association as he was a suspect in the match fixing scandal that came to light a year ago. Bart Vertenten believes that he was wrongly dismissed and is demanding 130,000 euro’s compensation.    

The sum is contained in the summons delivered to the Belgian FA by Mr Vertenten’s solicitor Hans Rieder.

Bart Vertenten was sacked in the wake of Operation Zero, an investigation into match fixing in professional football in Belgium.    

Bart Vertenten spent almost a month in custody and is suspected of bribery and being part of a  criminal organisation. Just after he had been released on conditional bail, Mr Vertenten’s solicitor let it be known that his client intends to fight the Belgian Football Association’s decision to dismiss him

"And then try and climb back up the ladder to where he has a right to be. If he it is found that he was innocent he deserves to regain his status as an excellent national and international referee”.  

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