In the early days of professional soccer in the Netherlands, few scandals caused as much uproar as the Bobo Sal affair. This scandal involved key figures from BVC Amsterdam, Ajax Amsterdam, and Yugoslav footballer Vladimir ‘Bobo’ Sal from Dinamo Zagreb, leading to suspensions, police investigations, and even intervention by the Minister of Justice.
The Players: Ajax, BVC Amsterdam, and Vladimir Sal
The drama unfolded in early 1957 when the talented Yugoslavian player Vladimir Sal trained with Ajax and impressed in a friendly match against De Graafschap. With various European clubs eyeing Sal, Ajax Amsterdam had him sign a preliminary contract to join their squad in the summer, after the end of the Yugoslav league season.
However, BVC Amsterdam claimed that Sal had already signed with them, prompting the KNVB (Royal Dutch Football Association) to launch an investigation. The situation escalated when the Minister of Justice, Ivo Samkalden, sought to deport Sal on the grounds of a previous asylum application in Sweden. This decision was postponed until fall 1957.
The KNVB Investigation
The KNVB concluded that BVC Amsterdam and their manager De Stoop were not at fault, accusing Ajax of coercing Sal into signing. Sal alleged that Ajax Amsterdam had kidnapped him and forced him to sign the agreement. Consequently, several Ajax board members, including chairman Wim Volkers, received conditional suspensions, leading Ajax Amsterdam to file seven complaints against Bobo Sal.
Journalistic Investigation by Kick Geudeker
The scandal took a twist when sports journalist Kick Geudeker began his investigation, speaking to numerous individuals involved, including Sal. Geudeker eventually proved that Bobo Sal had not been kidnapped or coerced by Ajax officials. Sal claimed before the police and judiciary that he had not signed any contract with either Ajax or BVC Amsterdam, prompting questions in the Dutch Parliament.
Following Geudeker’s findings, the KNVB exonerated the Ajax board members. De Stoop was arrested later in 1957 for inciting Bobo Sal to give false statements. In 1958, the KNVB suspended De Stoop for three years due to his role in the scandal, though he continued to hold prominent positions in Dutch professional football and even in the KNVB-organisation.
The Main Character: Bobo Sal
Sal fled to Yugoslavia without a passport, bypassing Germany and Austria. Attempts to rejoin Dinamo Zagreb and other clubs failed. He was arrested in Vienna due to a Dutch warrant but was soon released. FIFA suspended him until January 1, 1960.
Mysteriously, Sal returned to the Netherlands in 1959, where he was arrested at the Vaals border, a small Dutch town close to Belgium and Germany. The court in The Hague sentenced him to six months in prison for perjury. Eventually, Bobo Sal found some success playing for LASK Linz in Austria until 1962.
Stricter Transfer Controls
The Bobo Sal scandal led to stricter oversight of transfers in Dutch professional football, ensuring better regulation in the sport.
