Ordered association to break the law?
League drives traditional club “into illegality”
04/02/2022, 11:35 am
The Offenbacher Kickers are playing for promotion in the Regionalliga Südwest, but are struggling with a massive corona outbreak. The health department even forbids any contact. Nevertheless, the fourth division should play away today, says the league. With a remarkable justification.
At least the weather had an understanding with the Offenbacher Kickers. “The game at Bahlinger SC is canceled due to the weather,” writes the regional league on his website, so the away game of the promotion candidate scheduled for 2 p.m. today will not take place. The fact that this fourth division game should have been played without the onset of winter, snow and puddles on the pitch borders on a scandal for Thomas Sobotzik. “We are being forced to break the law,” said the former Bundesliga professional and current Kickers manager Hessian radio (HR) even before the short-term cancellation: “We are being driven into illegality.”
What makes Sobotzik so angry is also indicated on the website of the 1970 DFB Cup winner: “Prohibition of training, games and meetings for OFC licensed players and the coaching team” is there as headline, it is the consequence of the “massive corona wave that has taken over the licensed team and staff”. The traditional Hessian club reported this outbreak to the local health department, whose subsequent order “imposes a complete ban on games, training and meetings on the OFC until April 5th”. Which, however, raises the question of why the game scheduled for today in Bahlingen was only canceled a few hours before kick-off and because of the weather.
This is where the Regionalliga Südwest comes into play. This is the league into which the German Football Association unsuccessfully tried to integrate the Chinese U20 team in autumn 2017, but that’s another story. In spring 2022, Offenbach applied for the game to be relocated to Bahlingen on Saturday, April 2nd, in view of the clear official order. According to the club announcement, free testing is also possible on tomorrow’s Sunday at the earliest, i.e. April 3rd. The response from the Regionalliga Südwest, however, caused astonishment far beyond Offenbach.
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“Because tomorrow’s game in Bahlingen is outside the area of responsibility [des Offenbacher Gesundheitsamtes] takes place, nothing stands in the way of the game being played,” writes the league on their official Facebook page to ask for a transfer. Sobotzik was stunned: “I don’t even know what to say. It’s some legal sophistry,” said the 47-year-old. The Kickers would eventually “forced to violate the order.” According to the league’s arguments, this arrangement only applies “in the Offenbach city area”. Despite the release on April 1st, it’s not a miserable joke, but a serious conclusion.
Before the weather-related cancellation, Sobotzik reported to HR that his team wanted to compete. After all, the game would otherwise be counted against the Kickers at the green table. They are currently in third place in the Regionalliga Südwest, four points behind leaders SSV Ulm 1846, who have also played one more game. “It has nothing to do with fairness,” said Sobotzik in the direction of those responsible for the league, “and certainly not with a sense of responsibility. It’s arbitrary.”
It would also have been interesting how the OFC should have competed at all. “All the equipment is at the stadium, but we have a ban on entry,” Sobotzik gave HR an insight into the absurdity of the league decision. Not to mention the danger if there were possibly infected footballers on the field. Danger for the opponents, for the referees, but also for yourself.
The manager contacted Bahlinger SC and the referees, according to the report, warned them “that we are officially a risk group and are actually not allowed to have any contact. You have to know that we are potentially dangerous.” Sobotzik also announced legal action. It remains to be seen whether the weather-related cancellation, which at least solves the immediate dilemma, will change anything.