{
  "id": 6415881,
  "title": "Overmars resigns as Royal Antwerp sports director due to health issues",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/overmars-resigns-as-royal-antwerp-sports-director-due-to-health-issues",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-09T11:39:46.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/overmars-resigns-royal-antwerp-sports-113946512.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Belgian soccer star Marc Overmars has resigned as the sports director of Royal Antwerp due to health concerns. The club's sports director, who joined the team in 2022, announced his decision in a letter to supporters on Wednesday, citing \"all the fatigue that has built up over the years and the enormous amount of stress\" that he has experienced.\n\nOvermars, a former winger for the Netherlands, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Ajax, recently recovered from a mild stroke in December 2022. In his letter, he admitted that his health had not been optimal and that he could no longer cope with the \"hectic, stressful professional life.\"\n\nPreviously, Overmars held the position of director of football at Ajax, where he had begun his playing career. He resigned from that role after it was discovered that he had sent inappropriate messages to several female colleagues, for which he had apologized.\n\nOvermars stated that his energy levels were completely depleted, and if he did not listen to his body now, there was a high risk of things going badly according to his doctors. Consequently, he has decided to stop his professional activities temporarily, prioritizing his health and well-being.",
  "summary": "Soccer great Marc Overmars is stepping down as Royal Antwerp's sports director due to health issues. Overmars, who joined the Belgian club in 2022, explained his decision in a letter to supporters published on Wednesday as he mentioned “all the fatigue that has built up over the years and the enormous amount of stress.” “You all know that my health has not been optimal,” he wrote.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Overmars steps down as Antwerp sporting director for health reasons",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/overmars-steps-down-as-antwerp-sporting-director-for-health-reasons",
        "published": "2026-09-09T10:33:32.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}