Seven students fainted during a hazing ritual at the Hotel Management School Maastricht last weekend and two of them two ended up in hospital, local media report.

About a hundred first-years participated in the ritual organised by student society Amphitryon.

A source told the Limburger the students had to stand still for hours on end outside and were shouted at if they couldn’t comply. Seven of the students fainted and one had an epileptic fit. Two were taken to hospital with signs of exhaustion.

Students were also deprived of food during the two-day ordeal and were kept awake at night by people banging on pots and pans.

In 2018, several aspiring members of Amphitryon also suffered fainting spells during hazing rituals. The society would not comment but the college has said it would investigate the incidents.

Student societies frequently hit the headlines in the Netherlands because of punishing and humiliating hazing rituals but membership remains popular.