An official who is said to have threatened players of the Austrian Bundesliga players’ association Ladies FC Lustenau/FC Dornbirn with a firearm has resigned from his position. As the president of FC Dornbirn announced, this was “at the request of both parties”. “We are deeply affected by the news that a former official of the SPG Ladies of the traditional clubs FC Dornbirn and FC Lustenau is said to have used psychological violence against some players,” said the president in the statement. The ex-official denies the allegations. According to several media reports, he came into the locker room with a gun before a game to emphasize his desire to win. It was said that threatened players from abroad immediately returned to their home countries after the ominous meeting. According to the APA news agency, Wolfgang Ties, assistant to the SPG management, confirmed media reports that five contracts with players have now been terminated. The public prosecutor’s office and the police are investigating the alleged case. The people involved have not yet been questioned, said a spokeswoman for the police in the western state of Vorarlberg.
In this situation, the Austrian Football Association is concentrating on “acting as a trustworthy partner for club representatives and players and contributing constructively to the reappraisal,” said the ÖFB. Failure to do so would be punished “to the fullest extent” with sanctions.
