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ÖFB in chaos: Bartosch takes over the presidency despite resistance
After the controversial election of Wolfgang Bartosch as ÖFB president, there is a risk of legal repercussions. The changes to the statutes could further heat up the internal climate in the association.
ÖFB in chaos: Bartosch takes over the presidency despite resistance
There was recently an unexpected turn of events in the Austrian football association, the ÖFB, when the presidential post was filled in a highly controversial manner. The election took place in the presence of 66-year-old Wolfgang Bartosch, who was at the head of the Styrian Chamber of Labor until a year ago and has led the Styrian regional association since 2011. This is a downright chaotic situation that puts both the ÖFB's internal processes and its statutes at the center of the discussion.
The election was marked by an imbalance of power within the presidency. Gerhard Götschhofer from Upper Austria was the only vice president available after Tyrolean Sepp Geisler announced his withdrawal. In view of this situation, ÖFB General Secretary Thomas Hollerer decided to bring about a controversial change to the statutes. This decision was justified with the supposed urgency of preventing a leaderless association. Ultimately, Bartosch won the election with 10 votes, while the votes from Upper Austria and Tyrol went against him.
Internal power games and legal consequences
What is particularly noteworthy is that Secretary General Hollerer, who had previously resigned, played a key role in controlling the situation, which raises questions about the transparency and stability of the decisions. In the previous period, a candidate for president, Diana Swarovski-Langes, was rejected due to internal resistance. In this turbulent time, the league and its representatives can see themselves as winners of the internal confusion, as their reform plans now appear within reach.
Bartosch has already announced that he wants to push forward a structural reform in the ÖFB and said that the mood in the presidium was “unpleasant” and “courtroom-like”. Nevertheless, he seems ready to face the challenges. Meanwhile, the termination of Hollerer and managing director Bernhard Neuhold by his predecessor Klaus Mitterdorfer remains in place, although there are no signs that the two will be suspended.
Since all of these developments took place just a few weeks before the important draw for the World Cup qualification, the pressure on the association is enormous. Austria managed to move up one place in the world rankings to 22nd, which is important for the national team. Nevertheless, the main focus remains on the internal crisis in the ÖFB, which raises questions about the future direction and governance of the association.
Gerhard Götschhofer plans to take legal action against the change in the statutes because he doubts its correctness. This could lead to another chapter in the already exciting and tangled history of the ÖFB, taking place in the shadow of its sporting successes. For more information about the situation, we recommend taking a look at the exact circumstances as described in the article by peterlinden.live can be read.