Tuesday, July 6th, 2021
Collapse, corona, rainbow
The crazy weeks of the European Football Championship
By Stephan Uersfeld
There are only three games left at the European Football Championship. The equally memorable and questionable tournament ends on Sunday in front of 60,000 spectators in the Delta stronghold of London. ntv.de already looks back on the simulation of normality in times of a pandemic.
The semi-finals of the European Football Championship begin today.
Really? Where did the time go Soon this crazy, chaotic tournament will be over again. The torn Europe under the magnifying glass of a pan-European pandemic championship. From Seville to Baku, from Rome to St. Petersburg. Then, when it’s over, it will go down the history books as both memorable and questionable. UEFA in the lead role. Your simulation of normality has crashed. The virus cannot be hidden at the push of a button. It overshadowed the tournament as well as numerous skirmishes between the states. Ukraine and Russia fought over a shirt. The Austrian Marko Arnautovic was suspended for a controversial goal celebration for a game. Protests against North Macedonia came from Greece, the Croatians wore a miniature coat of arms on their jerseys at their games during the EURO, which can be assigned to the fascist Ustasha movement. Was not noticed until later either.
But that wasn’t all?
Then there were the players’ head injuries that UEFA refused to comment on. Then there was the collapse of the Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen, a great shock moment, captured by the TV cameras. Images that went around the world, burned into the collective memory and which UEFA dealt with quickly. The game had to go on. Either on the same day or the next noon. Eriksen survived and Denmark surfed a wave of defiance into the last four.
But wasn’t the overlapping topic something else?
The pandemic? The fans who imported the virus from Russia to Finland on their travels and who traveled to the Delta headquarters in London to enter the variant more often in Scotland?
No.
The Greenpeace parachute activist who is said to have lost control of his aircraft over the Allianz Arena? Which then landed, injuring people, causing excitement and a great lack of understanding?
No. The Rainbow.
Ah. Yes, it pulled through the tournament.
What is the state of the UEFA investigation into the rainbow?
What investigation? The one against Manuel Neuer was over quickly. In the case of the Allianz Arena, UEFA did not investigate, only made a decision.
No. The affair in Baku, Azerbaijan ahead of the Danes’ game against the Czech Republic.
With all the rainbows it is easy to lose track of things. So Baku: There was a disagreement between the steward and two Danish fans. And UEFA again failed to impress with its credibility. The state, also courted by German politicians, is not known for campaigning for the rights of the LGBTIQ community. In the run-up to the game, Volkswagen even announced that it would not use the rainbow advertising boards. The Danes didn’t do that. Your flag was confiscated. UEFA later said they heard the Danes were drunk. Which naturally leads to the question of whether those responsible suspect that only drunk people come up with the idea of a rainbow flag? The Danes then quickly disagreed. UEFA wanted to investigate and contact the Danes. A spokesman told ntv.de that they haven’t heard anything from the European association on this matter. In addition, they want to concentrate now on the game against England. Understandable. Even the royal couple will be arriving now. It is not that easy for normal fans. Tickets for fans of the visiting team at Wembley are only available for people registered in Great Britain, as was the case last time in the German 0-2 defeat.
Is there anything else related to rainbows?
The Allianz Arena now shines in rainbow colors. This was announced by FC Bayern Munich. On Saturday, on the occasion of Christopher Street Day. “FC Bayern would like to send a clear signal once again that it stands for cosmopolitanism and diversity,” said President Herbert Hainer. “Discrimination and exclusion should not have a place in sport or in our society.” One final blow to UEFA.
Lots of criticism of UEFA. Former Chancellor Schröder wants to be there. He joins the chorus of the plaintiffs and accuses the European Football Union of “pure moneymaking”. You shouldn’t let so many people into a stadium.
This, of course, falls primarily in the area of entertainment. It’s all so much more complicated. But at least the former chancellor has also spoken out. Schröder, who now and again can also win something from the so-called “money-making”, comes a moment too late with his UEFA bashing. Like so many other experts. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his plans to end the pandemic just yesterday. From July 19, all masks should fall and all stadiums should be fully occupied again. Johnson creates a gigantic test laboratory in the UK. Of course, UEFA would like that, but it’s too late for the European Championship. Only around 60,000 spectators are allowed in Wembley Stadium for the last three games of the European Championship. However, they no longer have to adhere to the rules of distance there. A full center court awaits us at the tennis tournament in Wimbledon, including when the roof is closed. “The capacity remains the same with the roof open or closed due to the airflow and circulation system within the stadium,” said the “All England.” Lawn Tennis Club “ntv.de with.
Applied to Germany, this meant: Even in the Schalker Arena, games in front of a sold out house would be possible again.
Clear. Now, however, Gelsenkirchen is in the Ruhr area and not in the north of England. So do not expect that Schalke’s second division games will take place amid the roar of 62,271 spectators. But everyone can still hope. The federal states allow major events again. Up to 25,000 spectators should be allowed, in special cases even more. Despite Delta and all that. But everything remains tied to the seven-day incidence. If there is 35 or one “not clearly definable” infection, it is over again. If you look over to the UK, that’s a different approach.
Do those who may then be allowed into the stadium have to be among the 3Gs? To the tested, vaccinated and recovered?
Nobody can say that yet. The federal states say: Access for the 3 Gs. However, some Bundesliga clubs are currently considering at least eliminating the uncertainties that a quick test entails in their planning. Specifically, this means that only those who have been vaccinated could be admitted to the games. How exactly the vaccination status should be checked where and how the entrance should work, all of this is planned. And then the local authorities have to agree, then it has to be okay that sporting events will be possible again. Certainly the league will be closely following the British government’s field test.
That’s all exciting. But what has that got to do with football?
Football is the area of the entertainment machine in which we can negotiate the big questions of our time and later usually say: It’s just football.
Do we finish by talking about sporty things?
With pleasure!
Who will win the EM?
Maybe Italy? The great opera. Ciro Immobile’s drama and the perfection of the time game impressed in the game against the Belgians. They are the most stable team in the tournament and the one that inspires the most. Or will it be the Spaniards? The Swiss, who were outnumbered, dragged themselves into overtime. They still lack the drive, despite the great victory against Croatia, this wondrous 5-3 in overtime. Or is it the Danes who, like in 1992, no one has on the bill and who are carried by the Eriksen wave? Or is it the English? Is Football Really Coming Home? The jerseys are sold out, the euphoria is great, coach Gareth Southgate is even believed to unite the country that has been torn for years. Joachim Löw no longer had the strength.
How can the tournament be summed up in one sentence?
Embrace the Chaos!
.