Tuesday, March 14, 2023 at 11:39 PM• Mart Oude Nijeweeme • Last update: 00:07

Ronald Lubbers has immediately resigned his activities as chairman of FC Emmen, the Drenthe club announced on Tuesday evening via the official channels. The reason for the decision is sad health reasons. What exactly is going on with Lubbers is not disclosed for privacy reasons. The Supervisory Board was informed about the situation on Tuesday afternoon.

FC Emmen reports late on Tuesday evening about the sad health situation of its chairman. “Lubbers chooses to distance himself completely in the near future,” reads the official statement on the club site. “Of course, the Supervisory Board respects the decision that Lubbers unfortunately had to make and the club wishes him the best of luck. The Supervisory Board and the board of FC Emmen are looking for a solution in the short term to take over Lubbers’ duties.”

The exact reason behind Lubbers’ decision is not disclosed for privacy reasons. Emmen only reports that the chairman is struggling with health problems. It is also not known if and when Lubbers will return. Lubbers gained fame in the football world as director and savior of FC Emmen. At the end of 2003, Lubbers joined the Supervisory Board of the current number fifteen of the Eredivisie as a member of the Supervisory Board.

Two years after joining, in December 2005, Lubbers resigned from his duties. Seven years later he returned and was appointed by the municipality of Emmen to protect the club from losing its license to play professional football. Lubbers managed to raise 500,000 euros through a few entrepreneurs. In the 2017/18 season, Emmen was promoted to the Eredivisie for the first time in club history under the leadership of Lubbers.