The Congolese Football Federation (LINAFOOT) has suspended former Polokwane City and current FC Saint-Eloi Lupopo coach Luc Eymael for six months after he allegedly made racist remarks in the match against Blessing FC.
It’s been a month since Eymael was named DRC Ligue 1 Coach of the Month following a good start to the season, which saw his side, Saint Eloi Lupopo, winning the first five matches of the campaign.
However, Eymael’s success on the pitch has again been overshadowed by alleged racial comments in a 2-1 victory against Blessing FC in October.
According to a statement by LINAFOOT, he has been suspended for six months by the league and is prohibited from participating in any sport, while also being fined $2.000.
The statement translated into English read as follows:
“During match n°44/A between the FC St Eloi Lupopo team and the Blessing FC team on 10/30/2024, at the Kibasa Maliba Stadium in Lubumbashi, as part of the Illicocash Ligue I championship, the aforementioned coach behaved in a manner that was at odds with the sporting regulations in indeed, according to the concordant reports of the match commissioner and the central referee of the day.
“At the 87th minute, the match was stopped for 3 minutes following the protest by Blessing FC supporters of FC St Eloi Lupopo’s second goal. It was on this occasion that coach Luc AYMEL, blushing like a wounded lion, made insulting and racist remarks to the Blessing FC goalkeeper, the match officials and the members of the Blessing FC committee.
“In this case, regarding goalkeeper ARMA LATOLEYA license n°221M00,
he called him a “NEGRUS”, while he called the match officials and the members of the Blessing FC committee “WHOLES”.
“Proposed decisions, From the exploitation of the concordant reports of the match officials, it turns out that coach LUC AYMEL behaved in violation of the sports regulations by making insulting and racist remarks towards the match officials and the members of the Blessing FC committee by calling them WHOLES and towards goalkeeper ARMA LATOLEYA by calling him a NEGRO.
“In view of the above, the Management Committee decides to impose a suspension of 2 months for insults accompanied by a fine of $200 and 6 months for racist remarks accompanied by a fine of $2,000 (see art.49 and 50 of the CDF and 54 RC).
“Considering that the two offences were committed in the same competition, the most severe penalty will be applied (see art. 38 of the CDF). For these reasons;
The Management Commission, after having deliberated in camera, decides;
In view of articles 38, 49 and 50 of the CDF In view of article 54 of the RC LINAFOOT;
“The CDC having heard: Decides to impose a 2-month suspension for insults accompanied by a fine of $200 and 6 months for racist remarks with a ban on access to sports facilities during this period, accompanied by a fine of $5,000 considering that the two offenses were committed in the same competition, the most severe penalty will be applied, namely a 6-month suspension with a ban on access to sports facilities during this period, accompanied by a fine of $2,000.
“The Deputy National Secretary, For LINAFOOT.”
This publication contacted Eymael about the allegations and he briefly replied that he was unable to talk because he was in meetings.
It’s not the first time that Eymael is accused of racism after he was a accused of a similar incident during his time at Young Africans.
Eymael was fired by Yanga in July 2020 after allegedly making racial slurs about the club’s supporters after an incident that flared up after his wife was said to have been sexually harassed.
The Belgian coach took the matter to FIFA, and the case went in his favour for unfair dismissal after the club could not prove the alleged racial attack took place and they were ordered to pay him the full amount of $148,000 (R2.7 million) by 30 August 2022.
