RAS Maccabi Brussels
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| Maccabi Brussels מכבי בריסל | |
|---|---|
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| Founded | 1 November 1945 |
| Location |  Brussels,  Belgium |
| Team colors | Blue & white |
Royale Association Sportive Maccabi Brussels (Hebrew: רויאל האיגוד הספורטיבי מכבי בריסל), founded in 1945, is a multi-sports club based in Brussels, Belgium with basketball, football, table tennis, volleyball teams.
History
[edit]The Maccabi Brussels association was founded on November 1, 1945. It was originally established on January 31, 1933, but had to be restarted after some board members disappeared during World War II. In 1999, for reaching its 5th decade, it received Royal status from the Belgian federation.[1]
Basketball
[edit]Founded in 1949 by a group of young Brussels residents, Maccabi’s basketball team rose to Belgian Division 1 in 1983.[2] The club won two Belgian Cups (1983–84 and 1987–88) and finished second in the league in 1985–86.[3] Strong financial backing in the early 1980s helped attract coach John Van Crombruggen and key players like Cherokee Rhone, leading to notable successes including reaching European cup competitions.
In 1984, the club moved to the Palais du Midi. However, management problems in the late 1980s caused a crisis. In 1990, the club narrowly avoided losing its registration thanks to intervention by the Jewish community and regional authorities. A new committee took over and renamed it BC Maccabi.[4]
In 1991, the club became Basket Brussels to attract broader support beyond the Jewish community. Financial troubles continued, culminating in liquidation before the 2002/03 season. Youth players then joined Royal Basket Club Bruxellois.
Names
[edit]- 1976-1983: R.A.S Maccabi Etterbeek
- 1983-1984 : R.A.S. Assumar Maccabi Etterbeek
- 1984-1986 : R.A.S. Maccabi Panasonic Brussel
- 1986-1987 : R.A.S. Orgaburo Maccabi Brussel
- 1987-1988 : R.A.S Maccabi Etterbeek
- 1988-1992 : R.A.S. Maccabi Brussel
- 1992-1996 : Basket Brussels
- 1996-1997 : Belgacom Brussels
- 1997-2002 : Atomics Brussels
Honours and achievements
[edit]- Runners-up (1): 1985-86
- Winners (2): 1984, 1988, 1995
- Runners-up (2): 1983, 1989
- Second division:
- Winners (1): 1982-83
European participations
[edit]The club has competed for 9 seasons in European competitions organized by FIBA Europe from 1983 until 1999.
- Cup Winners' Cup: 4 times (1983–84, 1984–85, 1988–89, 1995-96)[5]
- Korac Cup: 5 times (1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1992–93, 1998–99)
Notable players
[edit]Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.
| Criteria |
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To appear in this section a player must have either:
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Football
[edit]The Maccabi football section was created in 1953 by Holocaust survivors.[6]
Volleyball
[edit]![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (October 2023) |
References
[edit]- ^ Voogt, Fabrice (February 22, 1999). "Surtout connue par son club de basket, l'entité juive fête ses 50 ans Le Maccabi-Bruxelles, roi du multisports". Le Soir (in French). Retrieved July 31, 2025.
- ^ Milecan, Guy (September 14, 1990). "L'AS Maccabi est devenu le BC Maccabi et s'est doté d'un comité néophyte". Le Soir (in French). Retrieved July 31, 2025.
- ^ List of Champions in Europe
- ^ Milecan, Guy (September 11, 1991). "Le Palais du Midi Veut Vibrer". Le Soir (in French). Retrieved July 31, 2025.
- ^ Belgium clubs - sathanasias
- ^ "Maccabi FC in Brussels – an Inclusive Sports Team". noa-project.eu (in French). Retrieved 31 July 2025.
