On May 16, the Bundesliga starts again after the Corona break. The SPD politician Thomas Oppermann has campaigned for this.
- The Bundesliga starts near the Corona break on May 16.
- The SPD politician Thomas Oppermann supports this measure.
- But he also thinks that the Bundesliga must not receive special treatment.
The sports fan and member of the Bundestag Thomas Oppermann (SPD) made an essay about the situation of professional football in the specialist newspaper "Kicker". We asked him about it and the situation in the basketball Bundesliga .
Mr. Oppermann, you are an avowed basketball fan, why did you address this blazing appeal for and to professional football?
It's true, I'm passionate about basketball, I'm a die-hard fan of BG Göttingen. At the same time, I have also been an active footballer since my youth. My path has taken me from Einbeck 05 via SV Göttingen and SC Rosdorf to the FC Bundestag, of which I still belong. As a fan, my heart beats for Borussia Dortmund. Above all, however, as chairman of the DFB ethics committee, I felt obliged to contribute to objectifying the emotional debate about the continuation of the Bundesliga season.
They are committed to ghost games in the federal leagues - but they do not represent the enthusiasm of the fans - so why are you in favor of it?
Nobody - not even me - is enthusiastic about the idea of allowing the Bundesliga to take place without a spectator for the time being. The fans in the stadium are - just like basketball fans in the hall - what makes up a large part of the fascination. Without them, the game just isn't the same! However, we are currently in an acute emergency situation. Without a continuation of the season and the related income, many clubs are on the brink of failure. Ghost games are therefore the lesser evil.
Strong opinion: Thomas Oppermann, Member of the German Bundestag and Chairman of the DFB Ethics Committee - here during an HNA * interview.
© Hubert Jelinek
How do you feel about the criticism that football should not have a special role in sport and also in relation to the corona tests - after all, professional football is not systemically important?
In the narrower sense, gastronomy is also not systemically relevant. Nevertheless, I have campaigned for restaurants to be able to open again soon. There must be no positive special treatment for the Bundesliga , but also no negative one. If the DFL manages to implement its sophisticated health concept, there is no reason not to continue the season. But it is also clear that test capacities that are lacking elsewhere may not be used. According to everything we know, this is not the case. The green light for the soccer Bundesliga increases the chances of continuing the soccer basketball league.
Doesn't small sport, small football, or clubs need special political support right now?
Politicians have to help wherever they can. And it does too! The German Bundestag launched unprecedented aid in the Corona crisis in March. That saves many livelihoods. But there is a lot of catching up to do in amateur sports and the independent cultural sector. I am campaigning for sports minister and interior minister Horst Seehofer for an "immediate amateur sports program", but in football I see above all the obligation of the German Football League to help the youth and amateur sector to overcome the crisis. That would be a piece of solidarity!
You also warn that football has to think of its roots, that it has moved far from the base - what do you fix that on?
Professional football has lost a lot of trust in recent years because it has lost contact with people in part. The excessive transfer fees as well as player and consultant fees are no longer understandable for many fans. Photos of "golden steaks" on social media also offend well-meaning people. The Bundesliga has to get better there.
Away from the grassroots, over-commercialized, TV money determined - that bites the demand for ghost games - how do you cope with the contradiction?
There is no contradiction! It is understandable and legitimate that the DFL generates income from the sale of the broadcasting rights. However, it is important to maintain moderation and balance and to keep an eye on the interests of the followers. Even with a massive reduction in player salaries, many clubs would now be in an existential crisis. If traditional clubs go bankrupt, they will be easier prey for financial investors. Nobody wants that.
What happens when there are many corona cases?
If there are more corona cases in the Bundesliga , it will be difficult to continue the season. In the end, the health authorities will decide.
How do you feel about the continuation of the BBL in Munich - a sporty pattern without value?
I think it's great that the Easy Credit Basketball Bundesliga has decided to host a play-off tournament and save what can be saved from the season. This is not equivalent to normal games. But the BG had such a fantastic run until the break that I heartily allow the players to finish this season too.
About: Thomas Oppermann
Thomas Oppermann (66) has been Vice President of the German Bundestag since October 2017. He was chairman of the SPD parliamentary group from 2013 to 2017. In Lower Saxony he was Minister for Science and Culture from 1998 to 2003. Oppermann has been in the SPD since 1980. He is chairman of the ethics committee of the German Football Association (DFB) and plays on the team of the FC Bundestag. The lawyer, who also worked as a judge, has four children and lives in Göttingen.
By Thomas Kopietz
The season begins again for Eintracht Frankfurt near the Corona break.
* hna.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network
List of rubric lists: © Jan Woitas / dpa-Zentralbild / dpa
