Footie Fury: Bayer 04 and Wolfsburg Threaten legal Action Over Bundeskartellamt's "Remarkable U-Turn"
Bayer 04 and Wolfsburg expressing deep discontent and hinting at potential disruptions.
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The Bundeskartellamt's unexpected re-evaluation of the 50+1 rule has sent shockwaves through the Bundesliga, with Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg threatening legal action in response. The professional football sphere faces a tense standoff.
Both clubs have made their displeasure clear, stating, "To safeguard our interests, we reserve the right to all legal options." The Bundeskartellamt's assessment of the 50+1 rule, viewed as a remarkable U-turn, has both teams up in arms. The anticipated showdown between the Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL) and the aggrieved clubs is looming faster than expected.
Hans-Joachim Watzke, DFL presiding committee spokesperson, had previously warned of this, following the Bundeskartellamt's call for improvements to the investor barrier. In light of the situation, Watzke urged a collaborative search for a compromise. However, it appears that Leverkusen and Wolfsburg heeded not his call.
"Remarkable U-turn"
Leverkusen (majority Bayer AG) and Wolfsburg (majority VW) find the Bundeskartellamt's new assessment unconvincing. Bayer dismissed it as "a non-binding statement" that represents a "remarkable U-turn in the question of the legality of the 25-year-old exception to the 50+1 rule." VfL shared similar sentiments.
The Bundeskartellamt's cartel law assessment of the 50+1 rule, presented on Monday, primarily states that a parent club must always maintain the majority in a separate professional department. Despite having no fundamental concerns about the 50+1 rule, the authority has identified potential legal loopholes in the exception clubs from Leverkusen and Wolfsburg, the membership issue at RB Leipzig, and the dispute over club-internal instructions (Hannover 96/Martin Kind). Consequently, the DFL should adjust.
To overcome the inequality compared to other clubs, Leverkusen (majority Bayer AG) and Wolfsburg (majority VW) seek a different structure. Leipzig must ensure that voting members can easily join the club. And the DFL is called upon to ensure that clubs' instructions to their representatives in votes are implemented faithfully.
The DFL presiding committee intends to address this issue promptly in search of a compromise proposal. However, as in the past, the deep-seated divisions between "normal" clubs and special cases will again rear their heads in this conflict.
"It's unusual ..."
RB wishes to maintain legal certainty with the 50+1 rule and has decided to draw the appropriate conclusions. "It will be necessary for the 50+1 rule to be applied consistently and systematically, and that applies to all 36 clubs," it stated in response to a request from "Sportschau."
Reactions at Hannover 96 were, as expected, negative. The parent club felt its view was "approved" and called on the DFB and DFL "to consistently implement the 50+1 rule and ensure consistent application at all times." Kind stated, "A serious review is now underway. It's unusual for the cartel office to take seven years to issue such a non-binding recommendation."
Supporters, however, largely support the Bundeskartellamt's assessment. The organization "Our Curve" expressed that it is now the DFL's turn to act unless courts intervene beforehand.
- The unexpected U-turn by the Bundeskartellamt on the 50+1 rule has sparked controversy among football clubs, with Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg seeking a different structure to achieve equality compared to other clubs, and RB Leipzig aiming for legal certainty with the rule.
- Amid the tense standoff, Leverkusen (majority Bayer AG) and Wolfsburg (majority VW) dismissed the Bundeskartellamt's new assessment as a "remarkable U-turn" in the question of the legality of the 25-year-old exception to the 50+1 rule, while sports analysis shows a clear divide between "normal" clubs and special cases in this conflict.
