When does it continue? Is it going on at all? These are the questions that sports fans, players and those responsible in the major German federal leagues are currently burning under their nails. There is still a time of hope and fear.
Frankfurt / Main (dpa) - The German top sports leagues stand still because of the coronavirus pandemic. The current status of further planning in the overview:
FOOTBALL BUNDESLIGA: The clubs will decide on the extension of the compulsory break recommended by the DFL Presidium until at least April 30 at their general meeting. The consensus is that the season should definitely be played to the end in order to keep the financial losses as low as possible. It is clear to everyone involved that this will only be possible without a spectator. In addition to concepts for possible ghost games, financial emergency plans must also be drawn up.
HANDBALL-BUNDESLIGA: HBL officials continue to hope that the season will end somehow. Ideally, it will be played again from April 23. However, this wish seems increasingly unrealistic. In order to bring the season to a regular end, according to HBL, game operations would have to be resumed from mid-May at the latest. However, there are already the first club managers who plead for an end to the season and would like a quicker decision.
BASKETBALL BUNDESLIGA: Last week, the 17 clubs and the league once again decided against canceling the season. Game operations are suspended until April 30th. Then it should be discussed again whether the season can still be played to the end. Smaller clubs in particular are struggling to survive. Numerous foreign professionals have traveled to their homeland.
DEUTSCHE EISHOCKEY LIGA: The DEL decided three weeks ago as the first German professional league to end the season early. This had never been the case since the Bundesliga was introduced in 1958. The main round was over, the playoffs were canceled, a champion was not chosen. The fourth participant in the Champions League will be the fourth-placed Berliner alongside Munich, Mannheim and Straubing.
VOLLEYBALL BUNDESLIGA: The board of the Volleyball Bundesliga (VBL) decided more than two weeks ago to break off the season in the Bundesliga for women and men. In 2019/20 there is no master and no relegated team. Since then, VBL and the German Volleyball Association (DVV) have been working on a regulation for the final table ranking and the allocation of the European Cup starting places.
WOMEN'S FOOTBALL BUNDESLIGA: The games are suspended until April 19 inclusive. Six game days are still missing until the end of the season. The women's soccer league committee is conferring this Tuesday with DFB and club representatives. The league is based on the decisions of the German Football League (DFL) for men. The big time pressure is gone because there is no tournament for the national team this summer. However, FC Bayern Munich and VfL Wolfsburg are still represented in the Champions League.
DFL announcement