Police apparently report concerns about the security concept of the regional league promoted. The city and club interpret the message from the emergency services differently.
Freiberg. At 4:05 p.m. on Tuesday, an e-mail from the Ludwigsburg police headquarters arrives in the Freiberg town hall, which has what it takes to severely disrupt the start of the season for the new fourth division soccer team SGV Freiberg. In it, the emergency services apparently recommend that the first regional league home game in the history of Freiberg on August 6th against VfR Aalen should not take place in the Wasenstadion. The reason is a temporary fence that should be in place until the game kicks off and secure the guest block. Apparently, the foundation is not enough for the police, the fence could give way if the mood got heated and endanger people.
The Mayor of Freiberg, Dirk Schaible, was alarmed in the municipal council late on Tuesday evening. According to Schaible, no one can want scenes like the Love Parade in Duisburg, where 21 people died.
Aalen, Offenbach and Ulm are considered high-risk games
However, the SGV Freiberg interprets the police mail differently. The club assumes that the fence in the guest block only has to be firmly anchored in the ground. He also points out that the provisional solution had been approved by the regional league and the police at an earlier stage.
The start against Aalen, like the third home game against Kickers Offenbach, is considered a high-risk game with possibly more than 3,000 spectators. The match against Ulm falls into the same category. The home games against Homburg and Kassel could also be problematic. However, the SGV plans to have a solid fence in the Wasenstadion against Offenbach.
Important decisions just before midnight
Over the past few weeks, a heated argument has broken out between the city and the SGV over the use of the stadium, which is not designed for the fourth-highest German league, which none of the parties involved disputes. The municipality had recently offered the club a plot of land nearby on which it could gradually build its own stadium. The cost point: 10 to 15 million euros. “Unrepresentable,” says President Emir Cerkez.
On Tuesday evening, however, both sides were also willing to settle the dispute of the past. Shortly before midnight, the municipal council decided that the SGV was allowed to convert the guest area of the Wasen Stadium to make it suitable for the regional league – but at its own expense. Schaible: “The promotion of professional sport is not a municipal task.”
Nottingen as an alternative location
In addition, the city will allow the regional league promoter to train in the Wasen before 5 p.m., contrary to what the user agreement currently provides. The regulation is limited to September 30th. After that, the city offers the SGV a plot of land for the production of its own training ground.
In the long run, however, regional league football should not take place in the Wasen Stadium, which is also used by other clubs in the city. Schaible insists that the Freiberg footballers will have found another venue by the 2024/25 season at the latest.
Nöttingen is considered the alternative location – already for the first home game against Aalen on August 6th?
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