Things got seriously out of hand during a boxing tournament in the village of Orsmaal in the Flermish Brabant municipality of Linter last Saturday evening. Video footage shows spectators attacking each other and throwing chairs during a fight between a boxer from the Herentals (Antwerp Province) Boxing Club and a boxer from the Boxing Team Bellini boxing club from La Louvière in Hainaut Province. The organiser says that the crowd trouble lasted just 2 minutes.
Jules Kempen of the De Ring Boxing Club in Tienen (Flemish Brabant) that had organised the event told VRT News that "This is a storm in a teacup. This incident has nothing to do with the boxing. Prior to the match there was already trouble between the supporters of the 2 clubs and there had been some shouting”.
"During the match one of the boxers started provoking the crowd and this caused tempers to become even more frayed. An 8-year-old supporter threw a plastic chair into the ring and another head-headed individual threw a rubbish bin. Then people all over the hall started throwing chairs."
All over in 2 minutes
Security staff intervened straight away and the police were called. "Things had already calmed down when the police arrived. The entire incident lasted no more than 2 minutes. There will be two additional security staff at next year’s boxing tournament”, Mr Kempen said.
The Mayor of Linter Marc Wijnants (Christian democrat) told VRT News that he is surprised about what happened. “I didn’t know that a boxing tournament was taking place. Events require a licence issued by the municipality; in this case no licence application was made”.
Mr Kempen replies that this is not true and “Like every we requested a licence through the Royal Belgian Boxing Federation”.