Tuesday, June 8th 2021
Exceptions not just for gamers
Germany is no longer causing trouble for UEFA
A few days before the start of the European Football Championship, there are still important things to be clarified between the federal government and UEFA: It is about nothing less than the feasibility of a European Championship quarter-final. Everything is now settled, Germany guarantees privileges. And not just for players and coaches.
The federal cabinet wants to resolve the details of the previously announced exemptions from the corona quarantine obligation for the European Football Championship on Wednesday. This exception regulation for the European championship, which is limited to July 28, covers everyone who has been accredited by the respective organizing committee for participation, preparation, implementation and follow-up of international sporting events, according to the Federal Ministry of the Interior.
Not only footballers should be exempt from the obligation to register and segregation after entry from a so-called virus variant area, but also, for example, journalists who report on the games. The ministry announced that the transport ban actually imposed for such areas does not apply to these cases. However, a “strict protection and hygiene concept” must be adhered to around the event. This also includes a daily corona test. Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer had already announced the exception rule last week and justified it with the importance of this major sporting event.
Great Britain is considered a virus variant area because of the spread of the Delta variant (B.1.617.2), which was first discovered in India. This means that only German nationals and people residing in Germany are currently allowed to enter the Federal Republic from there. Everyone must be in quarantine for 14 days, even if a negative corona test is present before this period has expired. This would have caused problems not only for German national players who are under contract with an English club, but also if a team played in London and then has to travel to Munich for the quarter-finals. According to reports, the draft for the amended Corona entry regulation should also contain exceptions for visits by diplomats. Here, too, close-knit tests should be prescribed.
In the case of a corona infection of a player, according to tournament director Martin Kallen, different rules only apply in Scotland than at the other ten venues of the EM, which begins on Friday. Usually the affected player goes into isolation, the others can continue training if the result is negative. If, on the other hand, a player or companion tests positive in Scotland, the whole team has to go into quarantine – even if everyone else tests negative.
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