Showdown for Peter Peters (59) in the DFL: Schalke’s ex-board member resigns as DFL supervisory board chief at the end of February 2022. According to BILD-Info, Peters announced this last Friday at a meeting of the DFB Presidium and Board of Directors.
His successor at the DFL is to be elected at the meeting of the 36 professional clubs on December 14th: BVB boss Hans-Joachim Watzke (62), who is to initiate a reorganization of the DFL together with Donata Hopfen (45). Hopfen will replace Christian Seifert (52) as managing director on January 1, 2022.
Foto: picture alliance/dpa/DFB
“data-zoom-src =” https://bilder.bild.de/fotos/bvb-boss-hans-joachim-watzke-soll-eine-neuaufstellung-der-dfl-zombination-mit-der-neuen-geschaeftsfuehrer- fddc25250f2a41629c130a25c98568b2-77991960 / image / 3.image.jpg “/> BVB boss Hans-Joachim Watzke is to initiate a realignment of the DFL together with the new managing director Donata HopfenFoto: picture alliance/dpa/DFB
With his resignation, Peters is responding to a request from leading figures in the league. They want to prevent him from remaining in office with new elections until the DFL General Assembly in August 2022. Because under the outgoing Seifert and Peters, who is busy with his candidacy as DFB President, there has been a standstill for some time.
Important issues are on the table – above all the planned reform of financial fair play: There is a risk of an unhindered inflow of millions of investors, the Bundesliga would continue to be left behind internationally due to its 50 + 1 rule. In January 2022, according to the European Club Association (ECA), the Uefa Executive Committee will make a decision.
High time for the Bundesliga to take countermeasures. This requires a heavyweight at the top: Watzke, who is already on the ECA board and has a close relationship with Uefa boss Aleksander Ceferin (54).
Watzke is ready – if the majority of professional clubs want him. If he was elected, he would take part in the DFL presidium and supervisory board meetings from January 2022 in order to familiarize himself. Peters will remain in office until the end of February in order to prepare the DFB Bundestag in March 2022 with new elections, statutes and structural changes.
Foto: Getty Images
“data-zoom-src =” https://bilder.bild.de/fotos/dfl-aufsichtsrat-peter-peters-tritt-im-februar-2022-zurueck-0409586b291e45f4ae6e911d647d41f5-77991948/Bild/3.bild.jpg ” /> DFL Supervisory Board Peter Peters resigns in February 2022Foto: Getty Images
His resignation is also a signal to the amateurs that he does not want to run as a league man at the DFB, but also wants to become their president. The 21 regional association presidents agreed to hoist a candidate from the amateur field onto the DFB executive chair.
The favorite is the well-reputed Bernd Neuendorf (60), head of the Middle Rhine Association. However, league bosses assert that some state associations should be ready to support Peters’ candidacy – but only if he has the league behind him. Because it makes little sense to push through an amateur president and ignore the will of the professionals from the outset – also with a view to renegotiating the basic contract that regulates the financial flows between the DFL and the DFB. The amateurs expect significantly more than the previous six million euros.
The league’s expectation of Peters: He must bring the 36 clubs behind him and his DFB candidacy at the partial meetings of the 2nd division (25.10.) And Bundesliga (28.10.) – although some club bosses see him quite critically. By making it clear that a lot is at stake, especially the preservation of league interests in the planned spin-off of all business areas (national team, cup, 3rd league) from the DFB eV into a DFB GmbH and Co. KG on January 1st 2022 concerns.
If Peters succeeds and is then nominated by a regional association, he could have a chance at the DFB Bundestag. Because: With two candidates, according to the DFB statutes, a secret vote must be taken. Deviants from the amateur camp should not fear any reproaches – above all from the DFB Vice President Rainer Koch (62), who is still responsible for the amateurs.
