For professional athletes such as footballer Joshua Kimmich, politicians want the 2G rule to apply in the future if there are high corona numbers.
The pressure on unvaccinated professional athletes such as national soccer player Joshua Kimmich is growing: According to the will of politicians, the 2G rule should also apply to the active on the lawn or in the hall if the corona numbers are high. Unvaccinated athletes like Kimmich would then be condemned to watch. However, it is still unclear whether such a regulation can be legally implemented.
“In the preliminary meeting of the state bosses, we very quickly agreed that if spectators in the stadium 2G have to pay attention, which in our opinion should also apply to the professionals,” said North Rhine-Westphalian state boss Hendrik Wüst (CDU) after the conference of the prime ministers on Thursday in view of the rapidly increasing numbers in Germany.
It may take some time until such a drastic measure is taken. Politicians will now “check whether we can get that implemented,” said Wüst, adding: “But that was the unanimous opinion of the prime ministers.”
If the 2G rule is strictly applied, only those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered may be used. Even in the Bundesliga, some professionals have not yet been vaccinated, the most prominent example is Kimmich from champions Bayern Munich.
2G will in future apply nationwide in countries in which the hospitalization rate exceeds limit value 3. Currently only the federal states of Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Saarland and Schleswig-Holstein are below the value.
Vaccination rate in the Bundesliga and 2nd league is over 90 percent
Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) was still unsure what should apply to professional athletes in the future. “Usually it is that the working world is 3G and not 2G is imposed there,” said Merkel about professional sport and added: “Now it depends on whether it is the world of work or the world of leisure.”
Even before Wüst made his statements, the discussion about compulsory vaccination for football professionals was rekindled. DFL boss Christian Seifert told Bild on Tuesday: “If politics creates the legal options for compulsory vaccination in certain professional groups, the DFL will of course immediately discuss such an option intensively.”
The vaccination quota in the Bundesliga and 2nd league is currently already over 90 percent “and thus significantly higher than in all federal states Society, “emphasized the managing director of the German Football League.
Former DFL boss Andreas Rettig spoke out clearly on Thursday in favor of compulsory vaccination for professional footballers: “Of course, I have great respect for the fact that in a democratic society everyone should decide for themselves whether they want to be vaccinated or not. But If you as a footballer want to enjoy the privilege of being able to do your job, you have to give up this right to self-determination. Therefore, a self-imposed vaccination requirement for all professional footballers would be a strong signal with a corresponding signal effect, “said Rettig in an interview with Mediengruppe Münchner Mercury / tz (Friday edition).
For spectators, 2G already applies in some stadiums of the Bundesliga – but not for the regularly tested players. This could change soon.
