Dortmund CEO criticised for Bundesliga coronavirus elitism comments

Borussia Dortmund's chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke was criticised on Tuesday for saying Bundesliga's biggest clubs should refrain from financially helping league's smaller outfits.

Fortuna Dusseldorf sporting director Thomas Roettgermann and Hoffenheim's owner Dietmar Hopp slammed Watzke's comments which came after German top-flight was postponed due to coronavirus pandemic.

Professional sides in Germany depend heavily on income from television rights with local broadcasters paying 4.6 billion euros (USD 5.04 billion) a season to show matches.

"I don't kw what made him say that. It wasn't right time or right mess," Roettgermann said.

Billionaire Hopp said likes of Dortmund and champions Bayern Munich should support less fortunate.

" time for solidarity is w. strong help weak. I hope that this solidarity is consensus among everyone involved with Bundesliga," he said.

Watzke said on Monday he disliked idea of installing financial measures to aid all of 18 sides in top-tier.

"At end of day, clubs who have made effort to put a bit of money aside se past years can't reward those who have t," Watzke said.

"We're running businesses on a market and we're in competition."

Earlier on Monday, league's chief executive Christian Seifert issued a word of warning for sides who could suffer without broadcast, ticket sales and sponsorship income during COVID-19 outbreak period.

"It's a question of survival," he said in a meeting on Monday which decided to put league on hold until at least April 2.