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Decision of the state governments: Spectator regulation will be uniform

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Decision of the state governments: Spectator regulation will be uniform

As vehemently demanded by professional sport, uniform spectator rules in the arenas now apply nationwide.

The patchwork quilt has had its day, a little atmosphere is returning to all arenas: the spectator specifications for the stadiums and halls of the professional leagues should in future be uniformly regulated nationwide, as required by sport. The state governments have agreed that the capacity outdoors may be used up to a maximum of 50 percent – albeit capped at 10,000 visitors. A maximum of 30 percent is permitted in halls, with a maximum of 4000 spectators.

“It’s a good first step in the right direction,” commented managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke from Bundesliga soccer club Borussia Dortmund SID the decision with which the federal states implement the specifications of their summit on the corona pandemic with the federal government on January 24th. At that time it was stated that a uniform regulation should be made by February 9th.

Most recently, numerous countries had already passed resolutions that came very close to the uniform regulation now in force. North Rhine-Westphalia was not one of them, which is why three Bundesliga clubs (Dortmund, 1. FC Köln, Arminia Bielefeld) had the previous upper limit of 750 spectators checked by a court. The Münster Higher Administrative Court wanted to make a decision on this before the match day at the weekend.

Although the incidence has now climbed above the 1200 mark and experts warn against easing the restrictions too quickly, professional sport has reached an important milestone with the binding decision of the State and Senate Chancellery.

Bundesliga clubs advocated a homogeneous approach

After all, a homogeneous approach by politicians has recently been massively demanded. “We need this uniform regulation. If there is a different rule in every federal state, that’s crazy,” said Sporting Director Fredi Bobic of Hertha BSC on Tuesday, for example: “We have worked hard to ensure that the capacity is reduced to a percentage base should regulate.”

The new DFL boss Donata Hopfen had called for “solution steps” and “very clear solution scenarios that can be implemented and practicable” from politicians: “We need a solution that everyone can use as a guide.”

Professional sport reacted correspondingly positively to Wednesday’s decision. “Above all there is the joy that the topic of ‘ghost games’ is probably off the table,” said managing director Viktor Szilagyi from the handball record champion THW Kiel: “In the past two years we have already had concepts for a maximum capacity of 25, 50 and almost 100 percent set up and safely implemented, we will now find a solution for 30 percent.”

Larger numbers of viewers have recently been recorded in Saxony-Anhalt (50 percent of the capacity), Bavaria (25 percent with a maximum of 10,000), Baden-Württemberg (50 percent with a maximum of 6,000), Rhineland-Palatinate (20 percent), Saxony (25 percent) and Bremen (10,000) admitted.

Bundesliga: These rules apply in the stadiums

However, the regulations now in force also entail obligations. Wearing “at least one medical mask” is mandatory. In addition, “based on the respective state regulations, specifications for protection and hygiene concepts, admission management and distance regulations and, if necessary, further protective measures” should be taken.

At the same time, it remains to be seen how long professional sport will agree to the new requirement. RB Leipzig did not completely agree with the regulation in Saxony on Tuesday, which was almost equivalent for the club. RB had described the decision as an “improvement”, but the club was “not satisfied with the cabinet’s decision”.

In addition, it became clear once again that there is no absolute agreement among the countries. Bavaria, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt announced in a protocol statement that they would “deviate slightly within the framework of their regulations”. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania supported the decision, but is of the opinion “that the planned framework should not be exhausted in the current phase of the pandemic”.

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