ÖFB future in crisis: Mitterdorfer resigns – what now?

ÖFB future in crisis: Mitterdorfer resigns – what now?

On Thursday evening, Klaus Mitterdorfer caused a special turn in the history of the Austrian Football Association: He resigned one day before a meeting of the executive board. The resignation came against the background that he could not find a majority for his planned changes. Mitterdorfer had only been in office since August 2023 and inherited Josef Gartner, who was at the top on an interim basis. The resignation is notable because it has never happened in the history of the ÖFB that a president resigns from his position at such short notice.

One of the key challenges Mitterdorfer faced was the lack of trust within the executive committee. He noted that support for a new full-time leadership he wanted to create had noticeably decreased in recent days. His proposals, particularly for the position of CEO, were met with resistance. The proposed candidate, Silvia Kaupa-Götzl, was unable to receive the required votes in the executive committee. According to the ÖFB statutes, this position does not yet exist, which created additional confusion.

Criticism and personal defamation

Mitterdorfer made it clear in his resignation that, despite his efforts to act constructively, he found himself increasingly in a difficult position. “I always tried to see the big picture and act as a unifier, but I couldn’t do that anymore,” he explained. He also complained about personal defamation, which weighed heavily on him both before and behind the scenes. His resignation was the culmination of an ongoing conflict that had been brewing for months.

What is particularly striking is that Mitterdorfer did not draw any conclusions from a letter he wrote over a year ago, which pointed out differences between the general secretary and the managing director. When that letter became public in the fall, it seemed to be the starting point for the serious problems that ultimately led to his resignation. The ÖFB is now heading towards an uncertain future, with an interim successor from the ranks of vice presidents and the need to set up an election committee.

At the same time as Mitterdorfer's resignation, Burgenland's state president Georg Pangl, who had only been in office since March, also announced his resignation for personal reasons. Pangl had apparently shown great interest in the CEO position, but it was withheld from him. The circumstances surrounding his decision and the proximity to prevailing conflicts make the resignation even more in need of explanation.

The calls for an “external maker” to usher in a new beginning in the ÖFB are not new and are now increasing. However, it remains unclear which suitable personality is prepared to enter such a turbulent environment. After his short term in office, Mitterdorfer leaves behind a picture of a shambles. His legacy will probably always be linked to the construction of the Aspern campus, a project he initiated during his term in office.

The next steps in the ÖFB will be crucial. An election committee must be set up soon to set the course for future leadership, and an extraordinary general meeting is planned for the spring. The remaining members of the Presidium are faced with the challenge of turning the current crisis into a new beginning in order to restore trust and stability within the ÖFB. How things will continue and what decisions will be made remains to be seen, as peterlinden.live reports.