Recently, Ignaas Devisch, a Ghent philosopher and Club Brugge confidant, has received several complaints against managers. Devish also investigated it, but he found no evidence. “It is true that I received those reports,” confirms Devisch. “I am not allowed to speak about their specific content, but I can say that they were thoroughly researched and discussed, and no material evidence was found for them.” However, there was one incident that resulted from alcohol abuse, linked to Vincent Mannaert.
The CEO retains the confidence of the Board of Directors, but it did say that the performance of that position is no longer compatible with alcohol abuse. Mannaert, who has been following therapy for a long time, will continue that commitment.
Convicted five times already
Not for the first time, Mannaert is being held accountable for alcohol abuse. He has already been convicted of drunk driving five times. The last time in November 2021, when he was involved in a chain collision on the E40 in Nevele, in which one person was injured. After he had apologized, he committed a hit and run. He was fined 8,000 euros, banned from driving for 15 months and must use an alcolock for three years.
Four months earlier, Mannaert also had to answer for himself. Then because the police had taken him off the road in Ostend with 2.44 promille alcohol in the blood. For this he was sentenced to a fine of 3,200 euros and a three-month driving ban. In 2010, Mannaert drove into a house in Opwijk with his car. Then he was fined 1,100 euros and had to hand in his driver’s license for a month.
Devisch drew up an ethical code for Club Brugge. That code states that the club “has a preventive policy regarding work-related use of alcohol” and “applies to the common sense and responsible behavior of all employees and any other persons present in the workplace.”
Devisch states that he has already handled fourteen internal complaints during his time at Club Brugge.
