CAPE TOWN – Chippa United have withdrawn the appointment of Luc Eymael as head coach after widespread criticism on Wednesday.
The Port Elizabeth-based club on Wednesday said in a statement that they were partying ways with Lehlohonolo Seema and immediately announced the appointment of Belgian Eymael as his replacement.
However, club owner Siviwe Mpengesi was slammed by the Eastern Cape government for the appointment of Eymael, who had been dismissed from his previous job in Tanzania at Young Africans after making racist statements in which he likened the club’s fans to “dogs and monkeys”.
“The Eastern Cape provincial government is concerned that Chippa United Football Club have apponted Mr Luc Eymael as their head coach even though they know about the racist and offensive remarks he made about black people supporting his former club,” the provincial government said in a statement released on Thursday.
It went on to add: “It is more disturbing that the owner of Chippa United Football Club, Mr Siviwe ‘Chippa’ Mpengesi, does not see anything wrong with the racist and offensive remarks made by Mr Eymael against black people who support the former club coached by Mr Eymael.”
In a u-turn after initially backing his decisiom on Thursday, the club announced via Twitter that the offer had been withdrawn.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE pic.twitter.com/Uma7rmNMlg
— Chippa United FC (@ChippaUnitedFC) December 24, 2020
“The club would like to formally announce that it has withdrawn the appointment of Belgian Luc Eymael,” it said in a statement.
"When processes are complete‚ a new coaching announcement will be made in due course,” the statement continued.
"After having announced Eymael's appointment the club has considered public outrage.
"There was also the reputational damage caused to our brand; and that of our stakeholders‚ partners as well as our sponsors.
"We would like to clarify that the initial decision to make this appointment was based on Eymael's coaching track record‚ where we felt he was the best person to take the club towards our desired top half finish in this DStv Premiership season.
"Outside of the written reports‚ there was no formal instruction – to us or to any other team- to not employ Eymael."
"However‚ as the Pride of Eastern Cape‚ we represent the legacies of world renowned anti-discrimination heroes that come from our province.
"The Chilli Boys play an influential role to our surrounding communities through football and through our philanthropic work.
"We have people that look up to us and on the responsible decisions that we take.
"Our withdrawal of this appointment is an acknowledgment of our stance on such matters‚ with the club also having fully informed Eymael and his representatives on our position."
IOL Sport