Born in Nieuwpoort, Marteel now lives in Gijverinkhove.

[2] He took charge of his first World Snooker Championship final in 2015, becoming the first Belgian to referee a world final, and the second referee from continental Europe to do so, after Jan Verhaas.

[4] He also plays snooker, and has achieved highest breaks of 133 in practice and 78 in competition.

[5] He worked in the frontline as a nurse in Belgium during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite being trained as a radiologist.

[6][7][8] In the 2023 World Snooker Championship, he prevented a Just Stop Oil protester from gluing herself to the table; this occurred moments after another protester had covered the opposite table in orange powder.