The CEO of Basketbal Vlaanderen, Koen Umans, was aware of fraudulent tournaments organised to boost the 3×3 Belgian Lions team’s world ranking and secure their qualification for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, according to De Standaard.
In November, the Antwerp Court of Appeal convicted a Basketball Vlaanderen employee for advising former team captain Nick Celis and two teammates on creating fake international competitions.
However, an audit obtained by the Flemish newspaper revealed that this employee was not the only one aware of the scheme.
A note dated April 2021, three months before the Tokyo Olympics, sent by Koen Umans stated that "Team Antwerpen (Nick Celis) has organised "fake tournaments in the past to earn ranking points".
Umans has repeatedly denied knowledge of the fraudulent activities, stating he only learned of the matter after an article published by De Standaard on 25 August 2021 revealed the scheme. That article led to a criminal investigation and subsequent convictions.
De Standaard reviewed an audit commissioned by the Flemish authorities into Basketbal Vlaanderen.
The audit warned of significant risks stemming from retaining employees involved in the fraud and raised concerns about potential involvement of other staff members, including the CEO, in organising the fake tournaments.
Flemish Sports Minister Annick De Ridder (N-VA) had set a 10 January deadline for the sports federation to implement the audit’s recommendations.
Basketbal Vlaanderen has since provided feedback, and the minister stated, "We will now evaluate this internally and continue discussions with Basketbal Vlaanderen."
