There was a nasty surprise for LASK on Friday. The Linz team was denied a license for the ADMIRAL Bundesliga in the first instance.
This is how the Bundesliga decided on the licenses >>>
“Senate 5 has assessed that the first public report from LASK concerns Mr. Ritscher, who only has the UEFA A license,” explains Christian Ebenbauer, CEO of the ADMIRAL Bundesliga LAOLA1.
Ebenbauer congratulates in an interview LAOLA1 also Vienna Austria on the license it received in the first instance for the first time since 2021 and sheds light on the situation in the ADMIRAL 2nd league, in which three clubs were not admitted.
LAOLA1: How do you look back on the licensing decisions in general?
Christian Ebenbauer: It is important that the licensing process is completed in the first instance. Of course you want all applicants to get through. That is currently not the case. Within the association there is now the protest committee and subsequently the permanent neutral arbitration tribunal. We have to wait for these instances.
LAOLA1: LASK was the only Bundesliga club to be denied a license. Personnel criteria are cited as the reason. This is probably about the recent coaching change.
Ebenbauer: That’s right. Senate 5 obviously did not consider the coaching change to be sufficiently fulfilled. I assume that this can be resolved in the protest committee.
LAOLA1: The LASK states that “all formal legal regulations of the Bundesliga were complied with in full and at all times”. In addition, the decision is viewed as “completely incomprehensible and arbitrary.”
Ebenbauer: Senate 5 assessed that the first public report from LASK concerned Mr. Ritscher, who only has the UEFA A license. Therefore, sufficient evidence for a head coach with the UEFA Pro license was not considered to have been provided.
“Our colleagues at Austria have always been very transparent in recent months about how important the financing and sale of the stadium is.”
Christian Ebenbauer on the proposed sale of the Generali Arena
LAOLA1: Did the LASK statement, which was sent out on Thursday around 11:40 p.m., come too late? It said “that since April 10, 2024 and until further notice, Thomas Darazs has held the position of head coach.”
Ebenbauer: It was the responsibility of the responsible Senate to assess this, which viewed the criterion as not yet being sufficiently met. The protest committee will decide on this at the next instance.
LAOLA1: Austria Vienna received the license in the first instance for the first time since 2021, but with strict conditions.
Ebenbauer: First and foremost, Austria must be congratulated, especially after the last few years, for receiving the license in the first instance. The requirements, in particular the updated future information, mean that the submitted budget will be reviewed in the fall and must be presented to the Senate in an updated version. The monthly report on the economic situation is also a requirement. For Austria, however, it is essential that the license has been granted in the first instance and the homework has been completed.
LAOLA1: The Generali Arena is expected to be sold by summer at the latest. Can you assess whether this would save Austria for the future?
Ebenbauer: I currently don’t have enough insight into this and don’t know the documents that are only available to Senate 5. That’s why we rely on the work and care of the committee. But I think it is an important step for the economic situation. In recent months, our colleagues at Austria have always been very transparent about how important the financing and sale of the stadium is.
LAOLA1: In addition to Vienna Austria, those from Klagenfurt and Lustenau as well as TSV Hartberg have also received their licenses with conditions. Can you summarize specifically what this is about?
Ebenbauer: Austria Lustenau and Hartberg primarily concerns the criterion that has been in place since last season to present a strategy for sustainability. The condition here is that the two clubs still have to work on their strategy paper regarding CSR measures. In addition, at Austria Klagenfurt, similar to Vienna Austria, the economic requirement for monthly liquidity reporting is that the liquidity situation and the budget are given accordingly.
LAOLA1: The designated Bundesliga newcomer GAK received the license in the first instance without any conditions. A seal of quality for the work being done there?
Ebenbauer: Naturally. The licensing process is intended to provide support and security to ensure competition in the season to be licensed. From our point of view, the most important thing is that all decisions are made on the pitch. That’s why it’s good that this is the case in the fight for promotion, even if licensing decisions still play a role in the fight against relegation to the regional league as things stand.
LAOLA1: You already mentioned it: According to the first instance, it looks as if there will be no relegated sports in the 2nd league. Specifically, Dornbirn, Leoben and Stripfing were refused admission in the first instance. How big is the risk that one of these clubs will “fail” even after the protests?
Ebenbauer: You can’t look too much into the future. One can only hope that the clubs fulfill their tasks as best as possible. In the best case scenario, we hope that we have sporting decisions everywhere – including when it comes to relegation and promotion from the second to the third or from the third to the second division.
LAOLA1: What tasks do Dornbirn and Leoben have to fulfill in order to receive approval?
Ebenbauer: In Dornbirn it’s purely about economic proof that the budget is fully financed. In Leoben the issue is that the requirements issued in the winter, i.e. the audited interim financial statements and the budget, were not met and were not presented to Senate 5.
LAOLA1: How do you generally assess the current developments in Leoben?
Ebenbauer: As far as the media reporting since autumn is concerned, we have also made appointments to have discussions with our colleagues from Leoben. It was presented to us that the Leoben club is not listed as a defendant, which in our view is the essential point. In addition, DSV Leoben has to meet all requirements just like any other club. All you can do is wish you all the best.
“If not enough clubs receive approval, the ÖFB executive committee would decide whether the 2nd league should be filled.”
LAOLA1: In Stripfing, infrastructure is again an issue. The Generali Arena was specified as the home venue for the next season and an application was made for the club to be relocated to Deutsch-Wagram in order to meet the requirements. What is your current status?
Ebenbauer: The change of location, which is generally possible in the Lower Austria regional association, has obviously not yet been sufficiently certified. This must be proven further to the protest committee.
LAOLA1: If Austria Salzburg does not receive approval in the other instances, the 2nd league could not currently be played with 16 teams. What role does SC Imst, which was granted approval, play in this context? What position would he have to achieve in order to be promoted?
Ebenbauer: According to the regulations, first or second place must be achieved in the third performance level, in this case the Regionalliga West, in order to be promoted directly. If not enough clubs receive admission, the ÖFB executive committee would decide whether the 2nd league would be filled if first or second place was not achieved. A separate table between the regional leagues will then be made with the clubs that would receive admission. Depending on who is at the top, promotion would also be possible if you are not first or second in the championship.
LAOLA1: So you don’t have to worry that the 2nd league won’t be played with 16 teams next season?
Ebenbauer: I hope that ultimately all decisions are made on green grass. But even if that doesn’t work, I am confident that the expansion rule just described will ensure that the ADMIRAL 2nd League will be played with 16 clubs, as in recent years.
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2024-04-12 15:54:42
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