De Bleeckere returns as Head Referee in Belgium

More than a year after his dismissal by the Belgian Federation, Frank De Bleeckere agreed to return to his duties as a manager of Belgian referees.

The desire of the Belgian referees, namely the return of Frank De Bleeckere, was realized. After he represented his country at Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup, De Bleeckere was fired in July 2015 due to budgetary reasons. Paul Allaerts succeeded him, but its way of operation was far from unanimity among the referees of the Jupiler League. Some of them, including Sebastien Delferiere or Serge Gumienny, had clearly suggested his departure. Allaerts made their wishes a reality and resigned in June 2016. De Bleeckere, who also holds the role of ambassador of the company Expo Line, which produces the spray used by referees for the World Cup 2014, will aim to improve the image of the Belgian refereeing, absent from Euro 2012 and 2016, as well as the 2014 World Cup, and will be again absent for the 2018 World Cup in Russia since no Belgian referee was pre-selected.

Source: Arbitre 57