Philippe Bormans, CEO of vice-champions and Belgian Cup winners Union Saint-Gilloise, attended the Pro League general assembly where the current competition format was upheld for the another season.
Following the vote at Diegem, Bormans expressed mixed feelings. ""Clarity for clubs concerning our future was pivotal. Now, we have that," said Bormans.
He added, "Maintaining the playoffs was also crucial for us. We would’ve preferred reforms to certain aspects, but two-thirds majority is needed for that, which we failed to achieve. It’s possibly regrettable, but it’s democracy. We will work with that.”
Union Saint-Gilloise had supported the erasure of halving points after the end of the regular season, a rule that most likely cost the Brussels-based team the championship last season.
"This is disappointing, and I believe many clubs share this sentiment. However, to change this, a two-thirds majority is required – a quota not attained by all clubs, especially those participating in other playoffs or playing in the second division. It may have been logical to abolish this points halving now, but such is the game," he stated.
While Bormans backs the two-thirds majority principle, he believes there are too many professional clubs.
"In itself, a two-thirds vote is quite reasonable – it’s not four-fifths as before. The difficulty lies with the current 28 professional clubs – a number too large for Belgian football. The Pro League must address this issue. Regardless, let’s not forget we have a strong product. It could be seen as a missed opportunity now, but at least there is clarity," he concluded.
