Sanda Dia, a student aged 20, died after consuming a large quantity of fish sauce which contains a high level of salt which is not dangerous in normal quantities, but which led him to fall into a coma before he could reach hospital. An excessive consumption of salt can cause brain damage, although the results of an autopsy have not yet been revealed.
Members of the club who were in charge of organising the initiation ceremony could face charges of humiliating treatment. In the meantime that club has been disbanded, while others have been forced to sign up to a charter of good conduct on pain of losing their funding. Leuven university rector Luc Sels (photo) even threatened clubs who did not comply with expulsion from the university.
Meanwhile the university of Antwerp has announced the dissolution of the association of law students Sofia, following a gala ball in November which ended in fighting and police charges. One student was arrested and another had to be hospitalised.
Alan Hope
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