DFL throws support behind Grindel, use of video
February 11, 2016
Following a management board meeting in Frankfurt on Thursday, the Deutsche Fussball Liga (DFL), the organization that operates the Bundesliga, agreed to throw its support behind the German FA's (DFB) treasurer, Reinhard Grindel (pictured above), becoming the DFB's new president.
A statement released following the meeting said that the DFL board had agreed unanimously to support Grindel's candidacy at an extraordinary meeting of representatives of German soccer's regional governing bodies, as well as its professional and amateur clubs. The statement also said the DFL had agreed to go along with the DFB's wish that an extraordinary meeting be called at the earliest opportunity.
The decision all but guarantees that Grindel will become the next DFB president, as the regional governing bodies and amateur clubs had already agreed to support him late last year. The regional bodies and amateur clubs hold the majority of votes in any election for a DFB president.
He is to replace Wolfgang Niersbach, who resigned last November amid allegations of wrongdoing surrounding a dubious payment of 6.7 million euros ($7.4 million) linked to the 2006 World Cup. Since then, DFL President Reinhard Rauball, who is also a DFB vice president, has shared the German FA's top job with another vice president, Rainer Koch, on a caretaker basis.
Video replays
The DFL's management board also decided at Thursday's meeting to apply to take part in a pilot phase of the use of video replays in Bundesliga matches, provided that the International Football Association Board (IFAB) approves this at its annual general meeting in Cardiff next month. The IFAB is expected to approve the trial use of video replays in a several leagues.
The DFL said the "video assistant referee" was "to be integrated in the team of impartial match officials for the purpose of avoiding any evidently incorrect decisions."
pfd/sb (SID, dpa)