Competitive games are still prohibited - the Bavarian Football Association is now considering taking legal action.
This is how the clubs react.
District
- Politicians didn't say anything on Tuesday, but the Bavarian Football Association (BFV) is now going on the offensive: All member clubs are called upon to participate in an online survey that will run until Monday (see below).
The Bavarian cabinet had extended the currently applicable infection protection measures to September 18 - the next day the restart, which had already been postponed, was supposed to take place with a limited number of spectators.
The BFV may now want to take legal action against the ban on point games - if the clubs so wish.
The tenor among the regional, district and district league clubs surveyed is by no means unanimous.
The national league club VfB Hallbergmoos is clearly in favor of the legal path and supports a lawsuit to get the game back to play.
"You can do that in the other federal states too," emphasizes sporting director Anselm Küchle.
“I would have liked to have had an exchange of experiences.” The VfB official is thinking of the problem-free game operation in Baden-Württemberg with up to 500 allowed spectators - and he clearly states “that we want to play again as soon as possible, but unfortunately it is amateur football has become a political issue ”.
During this difficult time, he hopes that the Bavarian clubs will stand together in solidarity - and expects the vast majority of the teams currently training to finally want to play point games.
Küchle: "The current decision is very important"
The Hallbergmooser continue to train with the men's teams, "even when things get really tough," says Küchle.
Test games were agreed until mid-September, then he will think about a week's training break in the event of a further postponement of the game operations.
"The current decision is very important," says Küchle in the hope that the state government will no longer ignore the demands of the BFV or that the judicial process will get the ball rolling.
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Anselm Küchle (Hallbergmoos) hopes that the judicial process will get the ball rolling.
© FuPa
Trainer and team manager Alex Plabst from the state division SE Freising is torn.
In principle, he understands the decisions of the association, "this is also about certain responsibilities that have to be borne".
What is missing, however, is comparability: On the one hand, up to 200 people are allowed outside at wedding celebrations - “But spectators at a football game are not allowed?”, Says Plabst.
Those in charge of Freising do not see any risk of infection - if one takes into account, for example, that most amateur games would not attract more than 200 people on average anyway.
"And for the few clubs where there are more, you could find your own rules," says Plabst.
Plabst advocates a test run at the association and district level
The SEF also has a suggestion on how point games could be possible: a first test at association and district level.
“If you like, you could start from the Bayern league to the district league, gain experience and only then start with the other classes,” explains team boss Plabst.
However: The SEF respects the decisions of the association - "it was decided that way, and we stick to it".
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Rudolf Hauke (Eching) does not believe in a lawsuit by the Bavarian Football Association.
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Rudolf Hauke, chairman of the district division TSV Eching, finds the decision of the state government "unhappy".
“We have proven that we can hold the training and the friendly matches in compliance with the hygiene concept.
We would manage that in point games - we don't have that many spectators in Eching, ”says Hauke.
He thinks it is good that the BFV is campaigning for the competition to be resumed soon.
However, the TSV president doesn't believe in a lawsuit: “I'm against that.
I don't think that football would make friends with it, ”emphasizes Hauke.
In his opinion, a point game start should be possible in the near future even without legal action, TSV Eching is ready for it.
“We could guarantee a hygiene concept.
If league games with spectators were approved, we'd be able to do it.
And if it had to go on without a spectator, that would not be a problem at first, ”says Hauke.
"If you continue like this, you will be implausible"
Gerhard Güntner, the technical director of SpVgg Kammerberg, cannot understand the hesitant approach of the state government: “It's getting ridiculous.
If you go on like this, you become implausible. ”He finds it more than unfortunate that test games can be played, but the start of the league game is pushed back more and more:“ The clubs have shown that they can play games.
Why shouldn't amateur football games with 100 to 200 spectators take place? ”Asks Güntner.
He misses good communication between the government, the association and the clubs.
“If there were, then we would know where we are.
One could discuss, ”said the technical director.
And further: "It is not possible that way." Güntner thinks it is good that the BFV is campaigning for the point game to be resumed soon.
He also advocates legal action: "In any case, very clearly."
SVA Palzing would also be happy if things continued soon.
“I think it's good that the BFV is initiating something,” says Dominik Heiss.
The SVA's soccer department head admits that he is squinting at the neighboring federal states and wondering why they can play there and not here in Bavaria.
"And when you then see that cultural events are also possible, but amateur sport falls by the wayside here in Bavaria, that's tough," says Heiß.
He advocates that the BFV advocate a prompt restart.
And should the association fall on deaf ears with the state government, "legal steps would be okay" for it.
But in his opinion it doesn't have to come to that: “We would be able to distribute the audience around the system.
And we could - as in the beer gardens - record the names and telephone numbers of the spectators, ”says the head of the district division.
Understanding of the Bavarian Football Association
Martin Neumayr, the department head of the district league club SV Kranzberg, has understanding for the Bavarian Football Association.
From his point of view, it is not understandable why other rules should apply in other federal states or also for games in higher leagues.
The association has been fighting for the restart since August, and so far all requirements have been adhered to in training operations and test matches.
It is not asking too much - at least in the lower leagues from the district league downwards - to test how it goes in competitive games with spectators.
Even if this means for the clubs that personal data must be collected and the distances must be observed.
If it is now necessary to take legal action for the restart, then the association must ultimately do so.
Martin Braun from the league competitor TSV Moosburg sees the association as having a duty: “I am now annoyed by the fuss of the BFV regarding the question of whether spectators are allowed or not.
At some point a clear statement has to be made as to whether or not there will be games this year.
Regardless of whether with or without a spectator, ”emphasizes the sports director of TSV.
“We have been moving forward every two weeks since the vote in April.
And the association is still hiding behind the fact that the government has to approve something. ”Martin Braun sees a complaint by the BFV against the Bavarian state government rather critically.
This would only drag the whole thing out further.
TSV Allershausen hopes for a concrete decision
Philipp Jordan, department head of the district league club TSV Allershausen, would first have to think more intensively with his colleagues about a complaint from the BFV.
Something like this might only make sense if the lawsuit were then resolved by urgent proceedings.
However, for Jordan there is absolutely no question that a continuation of the league game operation only makes sense with spectators.
It is incomprehensible why 50 to 100 fans distributed on the edge of an amateur football field are prohibited when 100 people are allowed in closed rooms for other events.
According to Jordan, however, the most important thing is that there is finally a concrete decision as to whether and when to continue.
Because the current state of limbo is difficult both from an economic point of view and with a view to the overall motivation in the club.
"This delay makes it pretty exhausting"
Philipp Reiter, the sports director of the district league club FC Moosburg, expresses cautiously: “To be honest, I would only like to support this legal action carefully.
In my opinion, this is the wrong way to get the amateur athletes out on the pitch now.
But that's my personal opinion, ”says Reiter.
“At the moment, day-to-day business is pretty slow and tedious.
A certain obligation for all involved would be reasonable.
And even if it's just the statement that you will no longer be able to play in competition mode or in league operations in 2020.
Then I know what's going on.
This holding out makes it pretty exhausting. "
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Also read: Corona and Re-Start: Next damper for the Bavarian Football Association
How should the football association proceed?
Now the clubs are in demand
The Bavarian Football Association (BFV) asks the clubs to the virtual ballot box: According to the press release, the board of directors unanimously decided in its extraordinary online meeting to ask all around 4,500 clubs how to deal with the competition game operations, which are still prohibited by the state. It is also about the extent to which the BFV should take legal action.
The Council of Ministers did not comment on Tuesday on how to proceed in competitive sport or on the framework for a restart. “We have always supported the course of the Bavarian state government in the past and found it to be very responsible. We were satisfied with training games without spectators. We understood that the audience question had to be discussed carefully, we developed hygiene concepts with the greatest care and presented them to the state government, ”says BFV President Rainer Koch.
It was believed that the prerequisites had been created so that the game could be resumed from September 19. "For most of them it is incomprehensible that we are currently unable to start gaming operations, although the state government has long since allowed concerts or church services to be held in the open air, and even up to 400 spectators are permitted." is? “Politicians still owe this answer.” And further: “Equal law should apply to all,” writes Koch in his appeal to the clubs.
“As things stand today, it can be assumed that the Council of Ministers will not decide any further easing in the next two weeks, which - taking into account a lead time that is absolutely necessary for the game - will make amateur football in Bavaria in September impossible. A fact that already has and will have existential consequences, "explains Koch and emphasizes that it is particularly important now that clubs and associations speak with a clear voice:" It now takes all of you to know more precisely which paths we should take as your association in the next few days. "
The survey, which will be activated until Monday, September 7th, 10 am, is designed accordingly. In two additional online information seminars on Friday (4.30 p.m. and 6.30 p.m.), together with treasurer Jürgen Foldbacher, Koch will once again inform all interested club representatives about the current state of affairs. "It is particularly important to find out whether we should take legal action as a last resort and actually file a lawsuit," emphasizes Koch.
It is not about a special role for football, but about equal rights for everyone. “Everyone's health comes first. However, we don't know how a concert or church service visitor differs from a sports field spectator - and that's why our specialist lawyers say that a lawsuit against the unequal treatment of amateur football by the Bavarian Infection Protection Ordinance would have a good chance of success. "
According to Koch, going to court is always only the last resort: "We want to keep talking to the state government and continue to hope for a quick solution for amateur football."
These three questions are put to a vote in the online survey among the clubs: 1. "Do you think the decision of the state government to still not allow competitive games in Bavarian amateur football and not to allow limited spectators to be correct?" . "Do you want competition games to be resumed as soon as possible in 2020 and the BFV to campaign for it?" 3. "Should the BFV take legal action against the ban on competitive games in amateur football and, if necessary, judicially equal treatment with outdoor cultural events in accordance with § 21 Para . 2 of the Bavarian Infection Protection Measures Ordinance? "
The BFV will evaluate and process the survey on Monday and publish it in time for the next meeting of the Council of Ministers on September 8th.