A First Division footballer whose car was catapulted though the air into a sports hall after he had hit a roundabout while driving drunk is to have an alcohol lock fitted to his vehicle. At the end of Match Sofiane Kiyine crashed into the sports hall while driving more than three times over the limit. Sofiane Kiyine’s club OH Leuven and the Belgian Road Safety Institute VIAS have joined forces and will from now give players guidance on safe driving.
On 30 March 30 there was a serious accident, a involving the Oud Heverlee Leuven (OHL) midfielder Sofian Kiyine. Only a great deal of luck prevented the accident from being much worse as just minutes before the 25-year-old’s car landed in the sports hall a group of girls had been training for a basketball match.
Sofiane Kiyine was injured and received hospital treatment. It transpired that the football was more than 3 times over the alcohol limit and had been driving at 150 km/h when accident happened. The player was suspended by his club.
Today OHL announced that Sofiane Kiyine will follow a road safely course. He will also install an alcohol lock in his car and volunteer at a rehabilitation centre. All of this is being done of the player’s own volution. Sofiane Kiyine has yet to appear before magistrates to account for what he did.
From next Monday he will be able to train with the team again. OHL. He will cooperate with VIAS when it gives tips and guidance to his team mates on road safety issues.
"Criticism set us thinking”
OHL’s CEO Peter Willems told VRT News “The accident set us thinking. We read the fierce criticism in the press, including criticism from VIAS. Instead of giving them a surly answer, we have reached out to them. We are now going to work together to provide an inspiration to our players, but also to players elsewhere. They will be given an annual course on alcohol, speed and distraction in traffic."
VIAS’ Karin Genoe says that "Young football players are over-represented in the accident statistics. These accidents are often reported on in the media. Football players are of course also looked up to, the set an exemple. That is why we want the number of accidents involving football players to fall and why we welcome this initiative. From a negative incident, Sofiane's accident, has come a positive project that shows that they care for their players, staff and supporters."