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Out! DSV Leoben loses its professional status

Monte Schlacko will once again be home to third division soccer.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Over, over! DSV Leoben's last hopes of remaining in the Second Bundesliga were dashed on Friday before the Permanent Neutral Court of Arbitration. The traditional club, which has only just marched through from the "bottom" to the "top", was denied admission. As a result, relegation candidate Sturm II will stay in the class at the green table.

Amateur soccer will return to the "Monte Schlacko" in Leoben next season. The DSV's appeal against the withdrawal of the license for the second division was not upheld; after a three-hour meeting, the DSV officials had to accept the decision. The decision from last December was not overturned by the arbitration court.

Review: At the end of the year, the responsible senate of the Bundesliga lacked both a future forecast and an interim final report in the Donawitz team's documents. The latter was imposed on Leobner separately following reports of ongoing criminal investigations by the economic and corruption prosecutor's office. DSV was unable to change the verdict at the time, even with the help of auditors and lawyers.

Fact: The blast furnace team must now "reignite" in amateur soccer. In 2022, the team was promoted from the regional league to the regional league and then returned to professional soccer after just one season. Instead of the 2028 mission (planned return to the Bundesliga), it is now once again the "Third Division Adventure". Under coach Carsten Jancker (and with new sporting director Thomas Janeschitz), the aim is to win promotion again immediately.