Dortmund (dpa) - German amateur football continues to struggle with possible season breaks due to the coronavirus pandemic. Apparently, the associations fear waves of lawsuits should the season end prematurely in the leagues downwards from the regional leagues.
An early termination of the season is not regulated in the rules of the game. "Just as with the DFL for the licensed leagues, this case is not planned under the roof of the DFB," said sports lawyer Markus Buchberger of the "Ruhr Nachrichten".
To regulate this, the Bundestag of the German Football Association (DFB) would also have to meet. "We can't write that down quickly either. We would need a Bundestag resolution for that," said Manfred Schnieders, chairman of the DFB game committee.
Due to the coronavirus crisis, the DFB state associations in the German Football Association had agreed to suspend game and training operations downhill from the regional leagues until further notice. Continuing the season without spectators seems unrealistic, especially in the higher leagues, where the clubs are particularly dependent on audience revenue. In the event of a season break, sponsors could ask for money back and sue. "The DFB and the associations located under it are only allowed to cancel the remaining season as a last resort, also to protect themselves against such claims," said lawyer Buchberger.
The associations are puzzled how they can deal with the situation. Because even if a termination would be unavoidable, a new dilemma threatens: The question of ascent and descent would have to be clarified.
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