Overview
- Members approved Hans-Joachim Watzke in the first ballot with 59% support, a result greeted by isolated boos and widely read as a reprimand.
- Watzke relinquished the BVB KGaA chief executive role, transferring day-to-day duties to Lars Ricken.
- The first-ever hybrid assembly began an hour late due to registration and other technical problems, complicating the voting process.
- Two independent law firms were appointed to examine sexual-abuse allegations dating to the 1990s, and Watzke pledged thorough clarification while expressing sympathy for victims.
- Fan department leaders, including Tobias Westerfellhaus, criticized the election dynamics and urged governance reforms, while Watzke and outgoing president Reinhold Lunow publicly reconciled on stage.