Wednesday, June 02, 2021
“Are obviously the last”
Spectator plans “irritate” Rummenigge badly
In the coming season, spectators will again populate the Bundesliga stadiums, that seems largely certain. It is quite possible, however, that the dimension will cause astonishment. At least the outgoing Bayern boss Karl-Heinz Rummenigge considers politics to be too cautious here.
In view of the falling number of corona cases, the outgoing FC Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge appealed to politicians to allow more viewers again. The 65-year-old told the “kicker” that he was “extremely irritated that the return concepts for the audience are not being advanced in line with the incidence values”. The incidence value in Munich is currently below 30. “We have to openly discuss larger audience numbers,” demanded Rummenigge.
The CEO of the German soccer record champions, who is withdrawing from this position at the end of the month, raved about the atmosphere at the Champions League final in Porto last Saturday. The match, which Chelsea won 1-0 against Manchester City, was watched by 14,110 fans in the stadium, and Rummenigge was also there live. The Bundesliga was the first to resume operations in May 2020. “But we’re obviously the last to get spectators again,” said Rummenigge.
At the upcoming European Championship, the three German preliminary round matches will take place in Munich’s Allianz Arena. In the games against France on June 15, against Portugal on June 19 and against Hungary on June 23, the European Football Union (UEFA) should allow at least 14,500 spectators to be in the stadium. In addition, a quarter-finals are scheduled for July 2nd in Munich.
“Not only in homeopathic doses”
Last week Eintracht Frankfurt had quietly expressed hopes: “There will presumably be spectators and not only in homeopathic doses of 2,000 or 5,000 viewers,” said CEO Axel Hellmann. “I think it’s going to be plus or minus in the 15,000 range.” However, clear prerequisites are necessary for this. “The digital vaccination record, the digital proof of test results and the usual distance rules will play a role,” he explained. Anything else would be dreams. “To believe that 51,500 spectators can only be let through the stadium gates with a ticket and a beer in hand in the next season, forget it,” said Hellmann. But you have to find a way to regulate the access of vaccinated and tested fans. “We cannot post folders to check the yellow vaccination records. That will not work,” he said.
“My reproach to politicians is that it was foreseeable. After 15 months of the pandemic, we still do not have a functioning platform for a digital vaccination certificate.” Only with digital passports will there be access to restaurants, museums or football stadiums.
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