Rai Vloet is no longer part of the match selection of Heracles Almelo. The Almelo team communicate that the midfielder will only train with them in the coming period. “All those involved benefit from peace, given all the commotion last week,” says technical director Tim Gilissen on the Heracles website.
“Since the fateful accident, the grief of the victim’s family has been our top priority. The emotional involvement of the supporters, sponsors and the club is enormous. Each of us hopes that peace will return,” Gilissen emphasizes. In the night of 13 to 14 November, Vloet caused an accident on the A4 near Hoofddorp, in which a four-year-old boy was killed. His lawyer confirmed last week that Vloet was behind the wheel.
After an absence of a month and a half, Vloet returned to the selection of Heracles last week, pending the police investigation. Initially, it was reported that Vloet was not ready to play games for the time being, but he was still part of the match selection for the game with NEC (0-0) last weekend. Trainer Frank Wormuth decided to bring Vloet into the field half an hour before the end as a replacement for Sinan Bakis.
“The judge will only give a verdict in six months and as Heracles we can help that boy in this situation, to pick up his life again,” Wormuth said before the duel in front of the camera of ESPN about the decision to bring Vloet back into the selection. “Does he have to sit in a room until the summer? Of course there are different opinions in this world, that’s good too. A hallmark of a democracy is freedom of expression and we have to accept that opinion. I understand people’s emotions , but I also hear around me people who understand Heracles.”
The decision by Heracles and Wormuth to bring Vloet back into the match selection was particularly bad for the hard core, who lashed out at their own club in a statement on Facebook. “To our great shock, it appears that Rai Vloet has been selected for the away match in Nijmegen, despite all the disgusting details and reporting on this subject from last week,” wrote supporters’ association Vak’74 before the game with NEC. “We as Vak’74 have demanded a meeting with the club next Monday, because we can never and should never accept this. Disgraceful, disgusting and totally unacceptable!!!”
Several dozen supporters waited for the players bus on Saturday – where Vloet had not boarded – after returning from Nijmegen. Heracles then promised after a conversation with the supporters that the situation would be reassessed and it has therefore finally come out that Vloet will no longer be part of the match selection for the time being.