The federal and state governments tighten corona lockdown: Bundesliga and Co. are still allowed to continue playing

The professionals continue in ghost mode, amateurs and amateur athletes stand still longer: The Extended Corona lockdown until the end of the month also holds German sport firmly in hand. With the resolutions of the federal government and state leaders on Tuesday, the agonizing wait for the resumption of training and competitions will continue until at least February for millions of people involved in sports, but even then, rapid easing is hardly to be expected. “Will everything be fine again from February 1st? I strongly advise not to raise false hopes,” said Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU).

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The professional leagues, however, are allowed to continue playing without a spectator and with strict hygiene concepts, even when large parts of public life are at a standstill. Football wants to continue its program with the Bundesliga, DFB Cup and European Cup in close intervals in winter, even if corona cases have recently been proven again and again. At VfL Wolfsburg, some professionals violated the rules of conduct in the pandemic before the turn of the year, and at Bayer Leverkusen, professionals recently had to be quarantined again. In the 2nd division, the Würzburger Kickers team was particularly affected.

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There have already been a series of game cancellations due to corona infections in the handball Bundesliga and also among basketball players. The basket hunters from Braunschweig even had to go into complete self-isolation. After a nine-month pandemic break, games in the German Ice Hockey League have only just started again.

Criticism of the pictures from the team sports during the acute corona phase was recently expressed by the former top ski jumping star Jens Weißflog. “When I watch team sports like volleyball, soccer or handball, where almost every goal or point is cheered in close proximity: I have little understanding for that“said the 56-year-old German press agency.

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Also no audience at the Four Hills Tournament

The top winter sports enthusiasts also currently have to forego fans on the tracks and jumps. At the Four Hills Tournament, there is jumping in front of empty stands, the Biathlon World Cup in Oberhof with eight days of competition is held in a sealed-off city. The Thuringian winter sports location was recently overrun by day trippers and is now largely closed.

The forced waiver of spectators tears big holes in the economic balance sheets of organizers and clubs. In addition, some top representatives fear emotional damage to fan loyalty. “I am worried and afraid that we will no longer see the picture of the Bundesliga before the pandemic and that the stadiums are no longer as full as we were used to“said RB Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff recently.