Former Belgium international arrested in drugs trafficking probe
The Brussels prosecutors office said on Monday that thirty searches were carried out in the Antwerp province as well as in and around Brussels, and that Nainggolan was among those taken into custody.
No further information was given as the investigation and questioning are ongoing.
The probe relates to the smuggling of cocaine from South America to Antwerp and its redistribution in Belgium, the authorities said.
Nainggolan, 36, won 30 Belgium caps. He spent most of his club career in Italy at clubs including Roma and Inter Milan.
He is now at Belgian second division side Lokeren-Temse, who said on Monday they learnt of the investigation via news reports.
"We can only confirm that the player didn't take part in training this morning," Lokeren-Temse said. "The club respects the presumption of innocence and so cannot comment further."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
FIFA told to pay €65m by ex-Arsenal, Chelsea & Real Madrid star who won landmark court case against governing body
Diarra seeks €65m in compensation from FIFA Lawsuit follows a ruling by the CJEU Separate mass claim involving over 100,000 players Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱 WHAT HAPPENED? Diarra's legal saga dates back to a bitter dispute with his former club, Lokomotiv Moscow, in 2014. After a disagreement over his salary, Diarra's contract was terminated. Diarra was subsequently ordered by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to pay Lokomotiv a staggering €10m for breach of contract. This ruling, combined with FIFA's regulations, created what his lawyers called "unforeseeable and potentially very high financial risks" for any club that wanted to sign him. This legal entanglement effectively halted Diarra's career, as a promising move to Belgian side Sporting Charleroi was cancelled, leaving him unable to play professional football for over a year. THE BIGGER PICTURE With the backing of the global players' union, FIFPRO, Diarra took his case to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), arguing that FIFA's transfer rules unlawfully restricted his right to the 'free movement of workers' under EU law. In a landmark verdict, the CJEU sided with Diarra, ruling that FIFA's regulations created 'unforeseeable and potentially very high financial risks' for players. This judgment is a historic moment in sports law, targeting player rights to terminate a contract prematurely—a new frontier that builds upon the groundbreaking 1995 Bosman ruling, which focused on free transfers at the end of a contract. TELL ME MORE With the legal principle now established, the case has moved to a new phase: a claim for compensation. Diarra is now seeking €65m (£56m/$76m) in damages from FIFA and the Belgian FA. Backed by the global players' union FIFPRO, Diarra has stressed that his fight is not just for himself. He has spoken out to protect "promising and lesser-known players who don't have the financial and psychological means to face FIFA before real judges." This sentiment has given rise to the "Justice for Players" class-action lawsuit, which is now preparing to claim billions of euros in damages on behalf of an estimated 100,000 footballers who were also affected by FIFA's restrictive rules since 2002. WHAT NEXT FOR DIARRA? Following FIFA's refusal to reach an amicable settlement, Diarra's case will now return to the Belgian national courts for enforcement. His legal representative, Martin Hissel, expects a ruling within 12 to 15 months. For Diarra, the immediate future is about finally receiving the compensation he believes he is owed for the damage done to his career. However, his lasting legacy is now secured. Like Jean-Marc Bosman before him, Diarra has become a revolutionary figurehead for player rights.
Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Bloomberg
Hackers Accessed 850,000 Orange Belgium Customer Accounts
Orange SA 's Belgian business said that hackers gained access to data from 850,000 customer accounts, in the third major cyberattack targeting the French telecommunications firm this year. The company detected that one of its IT systems had been compromised at the end of July, exposing data including customer names, phone numbers, SIM card and tariff details, according to a statement on Wednesday. No email addresses, passwords or bank details were accessed, it added.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Lassana Diarra seeks 65 mn euros from FIFA and Belgian FA in transfer case
Former France international Lassana Diarra is seeking 65 million euros ($76 million) from FIFA and the Belgian football association as part of a long-running legal battle, the player's lawyer announced on Monday. Diarra's challenge to FIFA prompted world football's governing body to amend its transfer rules after a landmark legal ruling last year, but he has been unable to reach a settlement. His lawyer Martin Hissel said the claim was for "compensation for damage caused by FIFA rules" on transfers, which the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled to be contrary to European law last October. "Following a ruling by the CJEU, in the absence of an amicable solution, it is natural to return to the national courts so that they can implement the CJEU ruling," Hissel said in a statement. "That is what we are doing today, on the basis of a very clear ruling by the CJEU, which has settled all the essential legal points. The Belgian courts should deliver their decisions within 12 to 15 months." The CJEU in October found that FIFA rules impede the free movement of players by "imposing considerable legal risks, unforeseeable and potentially very high financial risks as well as major sporting risks on those players and clubs wishing to employ them", thereby disrupting the transfer system. At the request of the Belgian courts, the Luxembourg-based CJEU examined the case brought by Diarra, who 10 years ago had contested the conditions of his departure from Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow. In August 2014, Lokomotiv Moscow terminated Diarra's contract citing contractual breaches by the player. The Russian side also sought 20 million euros compensation from him. - 'Culture of contempt' - Diarra refused and requested that Lokomotiv pay him compensation, but the now 40-year-old was eventually ordered to pay his former club 10 million euros by FIFA, a fine that was upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Diarra also received a backdated 15-month suspension. As a result, Belgian club Charleroi ultimately decided not to sign the midfielder for fear of having to pay part of these penalties, in accordance with FIFA regulations examined by the CJEU. Following the CJEU's ruling, FIFA announced last December it had adopted an "interim regulatory framework" regarding player transfers. "I waited a few months before restarting the national proceedings in Belgium, thinking that, particularly following the efforts of FIFPRO Europe (the European players' union), FIFA and the Belgian football association would at least have the decency to contact me to propose an amicable settlement of the dispute (this was, in fact, the tone of the messages I received from FIFA)," said Diarra in a statement. "This was not the case. It is their right, but it reflects a persistent culture of contempt for the rule of law and for players, despite the very clear message sent by the CJEU. "To my great regret, we will therefore once again have to go before the judges, as I have no other choice." Capped 34 times by France, Diarra also played for Chelsea, Arsenal, Portsmouth and Real Madrid before ending his career at Paris Saint-Germain in 2019. kn/cyj/nf/mw
