Experts believed club had 1% chance of survival
Ties to Roman Abramovich led to KNVB’s investigation
Vitesse Arnhem have been dealt a dramatic reprieve after an appeals court ruled against the Royal Dutch Football Association’s (KNVB) decision to revoke their professional licence.
Vitesse looked doomed after a civil court in Utrecht judged in favour of the KNVB last month, appearing to confirm the 133-year-old club would be kicked out of the Netherlands’ second division. Many supporters were resigned to at least one season in the cold after no arrangement to continue in amateur football could be reached, but they will now be able to watch their team again after a shock turnaround on Wednesday.
The Arnhem-Leeuwarden court of appeal heard Vitesse’s case on Monday, with some experts suggesting the club had no more than a 1% chance of success. But it has suspended the decision of the KNVB’s licensing committee and appeals committee to withdraw the licence and ordered the governing body “to immediately re-admit Vitesse to professional competitions”.
