Syke / Uelzen – “I always have time for my wife and my little daughter,” says Stefan Hüdepohl, “but very little for local politics”. The 46-year-old lawyer from Uelzen is President of the Lower Saxony Handball Association (HVN) – and this office currently eats up a lot of hours. “Up to 70 a month,” he estimates. But the situation requires intensive effort because of the corona pandemic. The HVN has decided that clubs from an area with an incidence value higher than 35 can decide for themselves until further notice whether they want to continue playing (we reported). In an interview, Hüdepohl reveals the consequences of this requirement, how long it applies, what he thinks of the criticism – and what the HVN’s plans for a possible interruption or even a termination of the handball season look like.
Why did the HVN Presidium decide in favor of this option to continue gaming operations?
We tried to summarize the interests and the completely different basic situations in the regional association in a resolution that seemed best to us. Almost all of the Region Chairs have said that they want to start – but that they want some voluntarism if disease problems arise in their areas. There are clubs that want to start – and some that are very careful. I can understand both. That is why we decided to take this path – and we are convinced that it is currently the right decision.
Was it a democratic decision, so to speak?
We of course listen to what the Region Chairs say – because they are deeply rooted in their area. Ultimately, it lies in the decision-making authority of the Presidium – so we were not “grassroots”. We can only decide for the game operation in the association relay, the regions are self-sufficient. I know that Hannover will stop playing until the beginning of next year or will not start. That’s okay too.
How different are the wishes of the clubs?
We have amateur sport and then the threshold up. In the Oberliga, for example, interests are completely different from those in the regional league, where hobby sports are practiced. These people say: I’m not taking that risk now. In the upper league there are teams that make a lot of money, want to move into the third division and therefore want to have games. Hamburg can still play the top league, but not the one below. That is the big balancing act that we have to make. Sure, we can say we all don’t play anymore – but we’re not doing justice to those who want to gamble – because the incidence values in their areas are not that high.
How united were you in the HVN Presidium?
We discussed for a long time because we have to weigh everything up. Ultimately, we decided it together and we stand behind it.
You yourself had previously brought the variant into play that teams from areas with an incidence over 50 are not allowed to play. Why didn’t it happen?
It was a suggestion to get the discussion going. You could stop gaming altogether if the incidence is over 50 – but the voluntary waiver of 35 and over means that little or no gaming is played in these areas anyway. The current variant relies more on voluntariness and does not specify when the specific end is.
There are voices who criticize precisely this voluntariness – and say: The association is now shifting responsibility onto the associations. What do you reply?
If a club makes its own decisions, it’s much better for them. He knows best what the situation is like. The clubs can say that the “first” in the major league should play, but not the “third” in the regional league. That freedom is there. As an association, we do not shirk our responsibility – we have always clearly stated what we want. It is often the case that people criticize decisions that they do not want to make themselves. We as an association are at the forefront and have to have a much wider field of vision than a club that only takes the interests of its players into account. We took our responsibility seriously. And I think a club must also have a certain amount of responsibility.
So the criticism is not justified?
I can handle criticism. In clubs I keep hearing that we have a difficult task to master. That is also the case. Anyone can express criticism – and we also accept it.
How long does the decision last?
It is not intended to be held until the end of the season. There is no time window. We are constantly re-evaluating the situation after every weekend. We have to see how it turns out. We are always able to make other decisions. It’s all very fluid.
How quickly can the situation worsen?
Very fast. We still know that from March. On a Tuesday we issued recommendations for action for viewers – and canceled the game on Friday. It is possible that the situation will change in the next week – and then we have to say: Now is the end.
Why is there no nationwide decision?
I spoke to many colleagues from other federal states. Like us, they want to try it voluntarily. That’s why we don’t have any nationwide regulations at the moment – unlike when we stopped playing in March. The situations and interests are so different that we can’t get together at the moment.
Many clubs also want to play because they are concerned that the handball players will run away if they take another longer break.
I fully share this concern.
And how do you assess this development?
We have currently not collected any figures, but new registrations are currently stalling.
Could loss of membership be a big problem?
Among other things, we receive grants due to the size of the association. These could be reduced, which could force us to compensate for the resulting ‘hole’ with higher allocations from the clubs.
How can you counteract this?
We have been intensively developing members for a long time. The core of this is of course sport, which is extremely important to practice. Should a sporty lockdown be prescribed again, it could set us back years. There is currently very little countermeasure to take.
The game plan is extremely distorted by presumably many cancellations, down to a patchwork quilt.
That will be the case, we will have massive game cancellations – but we take that into account. We want to give those who can play the opportunity to do so. The distortions are due to the particular situation.
The relay ladder will rotate – is the considerable additional effort reasonable?
The work of those who strive to ensure that they still do sports cannot be rated highly enough. Voluntary work is currently so required that one or the other has to cross the border. But my main concern is another.
Which?
That at some point we have to make a decision that we don’t want to make if we follow our heart – but the mind says otherwise.
You mean an interruption or even a complete break in the season. What are the thoughts on this?
Of course, we do wonder what if. . . But there are still no real plans – but ideas that could be implemented in the short term. It is clear that a quotient rule like in March cannot be applied to five games, for example. If there should be another sporting lockdown, voluntary rounds without a real competitive character would be conceivable.
The clubs are of course very interested in what would happen in the worst case of an end to the season. Will there then – unlike in March – be relegated?
So far I can only say: The rating and the regulation of promotion and relegation would certainly depend on the time of the termination. But if there is a sporting rating, it will not only be about promoters, but also about relegators.
Have you determined a point in time when such measures would take effect?
No, not so far. There are regional associations that say: everyone must have played against everyone at least once – only then do we start to evaluate. Otherwise we will freeze or start over. Several models are possible. But it’s still too early for that. Let’s talk about it again in early January.
How will the coming weeks be for the association?
Very nerve-wracking. Decisions could be made that not all clubs like. I always like to quote Health Minister Jens Spahn, who said: ‘We will have to forgive each other a lot at the end of the pandemic.’ That is a wise word.
STEFAN HÜDEPOHL
The president of the Lower Saxony handball association (HVN) is 46 years old, a lawyer and lives in Uelzen. From 2006 to 2013 he was Deputy Chairman of Law of the Lüneburg Heath handball region, from 2013 to 2016 then Vice-President of Law at HVN – Hüdepohl has been HVN President since 2016. In his youth (from 1980) he played handball at Post SV Uelzen, in the adult sector until 2009 for TV Uelzen (partly in the Lower Saxony upper league). During and afterwards he was also active as a trainer for youth and adult teams for PSV, TV and JSG Uelzen as well as a referee.
By Malte Rehnert
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