"Inappropriate messages to female colleagues": Marc Overmars resigns as sports director at Ajax Amsterdam
Photo: David Ramos/ Getty Images
Sporting director Marc Overmars has resigned from the Dutch football record champions Ajax Amsterdam after allegations of harassment.
As the club announced, Overmars had "sent a series of inappropriate messages to colleagues".
In the message, Overmars apologized.
The club confronted him with the allegations last week.
The ex-professional, who was a player at Ajax, Arsenal and Barcelona, said in the statement: "I'm ashamed".
"Unfortunately, I did not realize that I had crossed a line, but that has been made clear to me over the past few days," Overmars said, according to the statement.
»Of course, this behavior is unacceptable for someone in my position (...), but it is too late.
I don't see any other option than to leave Ajax."
"Extremely painful for everyone"
The club's chairman, Leen Meijaard, said it was "extremely painful for everyone".
"It's devastating for the women who have been subjected to this behavior," said Meijaard, who spoke of Overmars as possibly the best sporting director Ajax has ever had.
According to Meijaard, an external expert also helped with the workup.
Overmars took over the post of sporting director in 2012 and shaped successful years.
With young players who also came from their own youth academy and individual experienced professionals like Dušan Tadić, Overmars built a team that made it to the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2019.
hba/AP
