Royal Antwerp has dropped Gyrano Kerk from the squad with immediate effect, according to De Telegraaf. The reason for this is his Surinamese nationality.
Passportgate has now reached Belgium too. Three weeks ago, the podcast De Derde Helft suddenly revealed that Go Ahead Eagles defender Dean James was not eligible to play in the match between Go Ahead and NAC (6-0).
The left-back holds an Indonesian passport, as he is also an international for that country. When he took on that nationality, his Dutch passport expired, meaning he needed a work permit to play. He did not have one.
That set the ball rolling. Last week, the KNVB asked all clubs to field only players who are ‘definitely eligible to play’. As a result, several players will not be in action this weekend.
Antwerp is now also keeping Kerk on the sidelines as a precaution. “The situation is unclear and we don’t want to take any risks until everything has been clarified. We are investigating the situation surrounding Gyrano.”
Kerk is a Surinamese international and may therefore no longer hold a Dutch passport, meaning he requires a work permit to play in Belgium.
The former FC Utrecht striker has already made 22 appearances for The Great Old this season. He has scored six goals and provided five assists.