Compliance en witwassen in het betaald voetbal: (g)een Belgisch wondermiddel?

Abstract

In recent decades, football has evolved from a purely sporting activity into a global economic phenomenon. Along with this metamorphosis, questions of corporate governance and compliance have come to the fore when it comes to the governance of (professional) football clubs. A good example is the consequences of, and efforts to prevent, criminal activities in the form of money laundering. In recent years, the risks of money laundering activities through the professional football sector have often been highlighted by, for example, European Union institutions. In Belgium, an alleged money laundering scandal in professional football led to legislative measures. This contribution considers the application of Belgium’s preventive anti-money laundering framework to professional football. It concludes that this legal framework is not a miracle solution to the problems facing the sector, and furthermore, the application of this framework raises several questions.