Free association of amateur football clubs in Austria

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Free Association of
Amateur Football Clubs in Austria
(FAFÖ)
founding July 1926
resolution October 1936
Seat Vienna , Austria

The Free Association of Amateur Football Clubs in Austria , or VAFÖ for short , was an Austrian football association that existed from July 1926 to October 1936 and saw itself as the umbrella organization for all Austrian workers' sports clubs . It emerged directly from the Austrian Football Association (ÖFV) and had its own selection team, which represented Austria at international workers' sports tournaments. The VAFÖ were even able to provide the 1931 Olympic champion and the 1933 European champion.

history

The strong political dichotomy in Austria during the First Republic also had an impact on football. Two different interest groups emerged within the Austrian Football Association - the civil “Protection Association” and the social democratic “Free Association” - whose differences of opinion ultimately led to the association being split. The trigger was, among other things, the dispute over the question of whether Austria should send a team to the First Workers' Olympiad in Frankfurt in 1925 . In addition, the Free Association railed against the fact that only professional clubs were allowed to participate in the Austrian championship and advocated the introduction of a second amateur championship, which was to be held in parallel. Since all negotiations with the civil association failed, the "Free Association of Austrian Workers' Football Associations", as it was called by its full name , was reconstituted on March 7, 1926 and changed it to the "Free Association of Austrian Amateur Football Associations".

On July 1st, the newly created VAFÖ went one step further. It was decided to liquidate the joint association with the bourgeoisie and joined the Workers' Union for Sport and Physical Culture , ASKÖ for short. Since the VAFÖ had the majority of members of the Austrian Football Association at that time, it suddenly became the legitimate successor of the same. The civil associations now called the “ General Austrian Football Association ” (AÖFB) into being, a new association which, however, had to buy the titles won by the ÖFV and membership in FIFA from the VAFÖ. The VAFÖ now concentrated on the promotion of workers' sport on an amateur basis. A separate selection team was formed, which was now able to represent Austria - extremely successfully - at workers' tournaments. Own championships were also organized. As a political association, the VAFÖ de facto came to an end in the political events of 1934, as most of the VAFÖ associations were forced to convert to the ÖFB. Nevertheless, the association was continued until 1936, but was no longer relevant.

Competitions

The VAFÖ hosted its own championship with several divisions as well as several cup competitions such as the May 1st Cup , the Vienna Cup , the District Cup and the November 12th Cup . The championship was initially held a little irregularly and with a few starting difficulties, but was able to establish itself from 1930 at the latest. The highest league was the VAFÖ league, under it there was a 1st class south and north, etc. In addition, there were other regional leagues in the federal states, especially in eastern Austria. The VAFÖ league was held until 1934, with only the first half of the season being finished in the last championship season.

Clubs of the VAFÖ League 1933/34:

VAFÖ league champions:

Selection team

The VAFÖ selection team was able to develop the reputation of the best workers' national team in Europe in the short period of its existence. The workers 'national team took part in their first tournament at the II. Workers' Olympics in 1931 , which took place in Vienna. The Prater Stadium was specially built for this purpose and is still used today as the Austrian national stadium. The worker athletes played their way to the final, where they met the German team in front of 60,000 spectators. The Festschrift of the Olympics later reported on this:

“In front of the largest number of spectators attending a football match in Vienna for years, the decider between Germany and Austria in the football tournament of the fourteen countries took place in the crowded stadium, which Austria won 3-2. Austria has already won victories over the German national team, but none that difficult. Germany's team offered their best fight. She was superior to the Austrian team in terms of stamina, speed, head game and shooting power, and only the Austrians' greater routine ultimately decided the game. Nothing special was offered in the first half, only later did the fight become interesting and at times very nice. "

In the following European championship competition, which was held in a championship mode based on the model of the bourgeois European championship, Austria was able to continue to dominate international workers' football. Up to 12,000 spectators came to the home games in Vienna, which took place on the Red-Star-Platz and the FavAC-Platz. Although Austria was able to finish this competition as a winner, the political developments at the time made it much more difficult to play the last games, so that the team could no longer play internationally.

Title wins

Web links