Some teams have already played almost 40 games, others only a little more than 30 – in the ice hockey upper house, the Olympic break has now been completely released as a possible catch-up corridor. Nevertheless, it is becoming increasingly difficult for all teams to get through the planned 56 games – especially if further cancellations are added. Most recently, four teams were in corona quarantine, including the Grizzlies Wolfsburg. On Thursday afternoon, ERC Ingolstadt was added, who sent his team into domestic isolation because of some corona cases and has to postpone his next two games.
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One of the three Grizzlys games that have already been canceled (Augsburg, Krefeld, Iserlohn) has now been rescheduled: on February 16th we are going to Augsburg. Otherwise the grizzlies don’t say much anymore.
Previously, games were often relocated by mutual agreement for organizational reasons. In an emergency, Fliegauf is hoping for an agreement with Sunday hosts Bremerhaven for the weekend, because “the health of the players is particularly important to me,” says the experienced manager. Background: If a team has ten healthy outfield players and one fit goalkeeper, it must play according to the rules. But that would actually be far too small a squad. This could lead to injuries, especially if you play several games in quick succession. The Grizzlies have to play against Bietigheim on Wednesday, then in Nuremberg on Friday.
The corona virus struck the Grizzlies last week, and the team went into quarantine on Thursday, which a number of players have already left. team doctor dr. Axel Gänsslen, also one of the two hygiene officers at the club, had often taken a stand. In the meantime, the Wolfsburg imposed an extensive information block. Fliegauf: “We made this decision because this is a special situation now.” The reduction of public statements have personal protection reasons, he said. In addition, “we don’t know how we can play on Sunday, whether we even have enough players”. Theoretically, new corona cases are conceivable at any time, and today’s water level could already be overtaken the next day.
In addition to the dynamic, upward trend of infection, there is also the most recently changed quarantine set of rules, which has been in effect in Wolfsburg since Wednesday, January 12th. According to the health department, notifications issued and sent before the change are also valid – with their longer isolation period for contact persons and without the possibility of free testing. In individual cases, however, the authority can make its own decisions. How exactly the authority assessed and decreed the situation with the grizzlies last Thursday was not announced.
It’s always a complex field, “you get the feeling that there’s something new every day, the last three days have been extremely exhausting,” said Fliegauf. “On Saturday we will see how it looks if we have enough players.” If you have to play, you will play, even if he doesn’t like the minimal squad. His great hope in view of the omicron wave: “That the whole thing will be over in four weeks.”
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