Witts, Getty Images 08 August 2025, 19:44

The 133-year history of the club from Arnem has come to an end-the court in the Netherlands rejected Vithes’s latest appeal to cancel their professional license. The Football Association of the country, earlier, deprived the club of the status of a participant in professional competitions, and now this decision has become final.

The club hoped that the owners’ updates and new financial guarantees would be convinced of the court to change the verdict, but they recognized the Federation’s actions as reasonable and legitimate. This ended a long struggle for survival, which has been accompanied by years.

The reasons for such a collapse are in the years of financial irresponsibility and violations. According to the License Committee, the club provided incomplete or curved documentation for years, systematically undermining the requirements of the football federation. These violations led to record sanctions – Witness lost 18 points in one season, and the next one received another 39. The team flew from the second division, taking the last place.

A separate aspect of the case is shadow sources of financing. The investigation showed that the club has received money from Roman Abramovich for many years through a complex offshore network. The total amount of this “hidden support” exceeded EUR 117 million, which directly contradicted the principles of transparency and financial control.

Attempts to change the owner have also collapsed. The American Perry American was unable to check the federation, and later the local consortium Sterhauders proposed a rescue plan, but too late and without sufficient detail. The federation remained adamant.

Now Witches is no longer a professional club. He may remain except for the path of the amateur team. For Arnem, this is not just a sports loss – the club was part of urban identity. The city has the sorrow for what was a symbol of the whole generation of fans.