Monica Iheakam
Dutch Football Federation (KNVB), yesterday cleared Fortuna Sittard of all the allegations of illegal activities leveled against the club by their former coach, Sunday Oliseh.
Oliseh was suspended by the second division Dutch side last month and claimed that he was punished due to his refusal to participate in illegal activities at the club.
The former Ajax Amsterdam midfielder then petitioned the Dutch Football Federation (KNVB) to seek redress on the matter.
Sittard in a statement on its website,expressed satisfaction with the ruling of the office of KNVB .
“Yesterday the office of the KNVB in Zeist looked into the arbitration case between Fortuna Sittard and Sunday Oliseh,” the club stated on their official website yesterday.
“The case was filed by the non-active Oliseh to force a return as the trainer at the club. The board of Fortuna Sittard, through chairman Isitan Gün, say they are satisfied with the course of the case so far.
“The matter is that Mr. Oliseh wants to return in his position as trainer. It looks as if a return is no longer possible, as the Arbitration Board pointed out last night. That makes us cautiously positive.
“We were able to refute, with convincing evidence, the allegations that Oliseh and his counselor put on the table. And they have not come up with any evidence that could reinforce their case with documents. It has just been words.
“We have always been transparent to the KNVB and we are also subjected to audits by an independent party.
“If we had been engaged in illegal activities, this would have already emerged. That is not the case.
”The allegations, especially those on illegal practices, are all meant to be a smokescreen, to derive from the core of this arbitration case: the return desired by Mr. Oliseh and the inadmissible action in his position as head coach that stands in the way.”
That seems over. We therefore have every confidence that we will be able to bring the case to a favorable conclusion by our evidence.”