Eleven abstentions

2:0 – ÖFB boss resorted to a box of tricks for dismissals

ÖFB President Wolfgang Bartosch (left) with Thomas Hollerer (center) and Bernhard Neuhold

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

The Austrian Football Association (ÖFB) rescinded the dismissals of the two managing directors Thomas Hollerer and Bernhard Neuhold on Friday. President Wolfgang Bartosch resorted to a legal trick. The vote in the executive committee "only" ended 2:0 - although all twelve members were present.

The new strong man in the ÖFB, who will be in charge until May, achieved a stage victory on Friday: at the meeting in Vienna, the presidium voted in favor of Wolfgang Bartosch's proposal and the withdrawal of the resignations of managing directors Thomas Hollerer and Bernhard Neuhold. This means that both will remain in office beyond May 31 after all - their contracts were extended indefinitely, including a six-month notice period.

This was preceded by a number of telephone calls in which Bartosch tried to convince his fellow members of the executive committee of his plan. Background: As the structural reform could not be implemented by the general meeting on May 18 in Bregenz - as planned by Bartosch's predecessor Klaus Mitterdorfer - and the two managing directors would be history by the end of May, Bartosch feared for the ÖFB's full ability to act from the beginning of June.

Wolfgang Bartosch

(Bild: Jauschowetz Christian/Christian Jauschowetz)

Bartosch's proposal to revoke the resignations of Hollerer and Neuhold in order to gain time left some of his eleven colleagues on the ÖFB Executive Committee in doubt. Especially as they had voted by a majority in favor of the dismissals just a few weeks ago. Bartosch saw his plan in jeopardy and used a legal trick: He suggested to the eleven colleagues at the meeting that they abstain from voting, while he was the only one to vote "yes".

This approach will attract criticism
Background: legally, such abstentions are considered "non-votes", while Bartosch was able to vote "yes" twice: As he currently fulfills two functions on the presidium - as president of the ÖFB and as that of the Styrian regional association - the vote therefore ended with the curious result of 2:0. This means that the dismissals are off the table. Everyone involved is aware that this procedure will raise some criticism.

It can be assumed that the process was legally watertight - especially as some members of the Executive Committee work as lawyers in their day jobs. At the same time, after the last few turbulent months of public disputes, the board has signaled that it is still capable of pulling together. Albeit in a very unusual way. The chosen method leaves an aftertaste that will provide plenty of material for discussion.

New management will only be discussed after the Annual General Meeting
It remains to be seen what will happen in the medium term with Neuhold and Hollerer, who are at odds with each other: "The new management should also be involved in this decision," emphasized Bartosch. In other words, the new operational management team consisting of a CEO and one or two managing directors, which will only be appointed after the Annual General Meeting in Bregenz, but in any case in 2025. "The tender for this will be public," Bartosch announced.