Dortmund (dpa) – “Master of diplomacy”, “Man for difficult cases” – Reinhard Rauball enjoys a brilliant reputation in German sport.
Even after his retirement as long-time league president and DFB vice-president in 2019, the lawyer from Dortmund is still very passionate about football. Even on his 75th birthday, which he celebrates on Christmas Day, there are no thoughts of retreating into private life. It cannot be ruled out that Rauball will extend his term of office as president of his heart club BVB, which ends in November 2022, for a further three years – if health still allows.
Executive in German football
Many club representatives learned to appreciate Rauball’s calm manner and his negotiating skills during his time as league president between 2007 and 2019. At the side of DFL managing director Christian Seifert, he contributed to the fact that the Bundesliga mastered the upheaval into the modern age and consolidated its position as a premium product in German sport. The former Federal Minister of the Interior Thomas de Maizière recently praised Rauball as the “gentleman of German football” in DFL magazine: “I hardly know anyone else who, like Reinhard Rauball, pleasantly combines modesty and self-confidence. He shows that you can lead politely and be tough can.”
Rauball, who was born in Northeim on the outskirts of the Harz Mountains, also made great contributions to Borussia Dortmund. He helped the Revierclub out of trouble three times: from 1979 – when he became the youngest Bundesliga president to this day at the age of 32 – to 1982, from 1984 to 1986 and from 2004 to the present day. Above all, his commitment in 2005, when he kept Borussia from bankruptcy in a key role, cemented his reputation as a man for difficult cases. “Back then, the people in Dortmund didn’t trust anyone or anything. But they had extreme confidence in Reinhard Rauball,” said BVB managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke, referring to the worst crisis in the club’s history.
It is questionable whether the main owners of the Dortmund stadium would have approved the club’s redevelopment concept at the memorable meeting in May 2005 at Düsseldorf airport without Rauball’s rhetorical skill. “I don’t want to experience a day like this in my life. It was the worst thing I ever had to go through,” commented the visibly worn club president at the time.
Thanks to Rauball and Watzke, BVB is now one of the top addresses in international football and is considered the second force behind FC Bayern Munich in Germany. The fact that Rauball has been very committed to the BVB handball women, who became German champions for the first time last season, is an expression of his great enthusiasm for sports.
Rauball worries about the “good reputation of the sport”
Rauball sometimes accepted suffering for his beloved sport – even as an active player. He took part in two marathons in Los Angeles and London. Until a few years ago, the hobby footballer with regional league experience played for the traditional BVB team. The sports bag is still in the car – always close at hand.
It fits into the image of a grand master of football that he is concerned about the good reputation of the sport. The daring plans to introduce a European super league or host the upcoming World Cup in Qatar make him skeptical. “These are of course also reasons why football does not have the status at the moment that I think it deserves,” said Rauball to the “Funke Medien”.
Because of such developments, professionals and those in charge are called upon: “When football stars show the world that they are eating gold-coated steaks, the whole thing starts to slide. All in all, it has all led to considerable criticism of football. We have to counteract that is a main task for everyone in charge. “
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