The tennis association is angry about the court decision, and these are the reactions of the Erdinger clubs.
Erding – The tennis fans have to be patient.
The clubs in the Erding district are not surprised by this, but are still sometimes very angry - as is the President of the Bavarian Tennis Association (BTV), Helmut Schmidbauer.
The Bavarian Administrative Court (BayVGH) had rejected the BTV's urgent application of December 7th to lift the tennis ban.
This decision was feared, says Schmidbauer.
But he was annoyed that "a supreme Bavarian court is taking more than seven weeks in an urgent procedure for immediate legal protection" to justify the decision in a few lines.
The court argued that the low risk of infection in tennis would not be decisive for the judgment.
And that makes Schmidbauer really angry: “Everywhere, distance and contact restrictions are propagated as the most important infection protection measure, but the BayVGH treats this aspect only as a secondary issue.
"But if the low or practically nonexistent risk of infection in tennis does not play a role", the basis for an individual consideration of the infection protection measures is suspended, "and any arbitrariness would be legally covered", Schmidbauer railed.
The association is not aware of a single case of infection on a tennis facility, "therefore we reserve the right to take further steps",
"I can only agree with the words of the President," says Alexander von Gerichten, Chairman of the TC Erding.
In the current situation, a different decision would have surprised him.
"At the same time, however, it is actually surprising how long the decision in an urgent procedure has been in coming."
Langenpreising's chairman Stephan Hoynatzky reminds that the SpVgg had only allowed singles or doubles with members of their own household before the hall, which consists of only one place, was closed.
In addition, the changing rooms were locked.
"The risk of infection should therefore be extremely low if all hygiene regulations are adhered to, so that it is difficult to doubt that the tennis ban is proportionate." The risk of infection is much lower than in a supermarket or on public transport, according to Hoynatzky.
"This is obviously how the government also saw it, which allowed tennis and only banned it because of a faulty interpretation of the VGH's decision regarding an application by a fitness studio.
We suffer financial losses as a result, which the general public has to compensate for through aid programs. "
The Langenpreisinger worries about “our seniors, some of whom are over 80 and in one case even over 90 years old, normally play tennis regularly and need this sport for their physical fitness and their immune system.
The decline in physical fitness is of course much more difficult to compensate for at this age than in younger years. "
Christian Gärtner (SpVgg Altenerding) would have liked a differentiated judgment.
"Outdoor tennis should be allowed again because there is really no increased risk of infection here - according to all we know." In addition to the SpVgg, there are other clubs that have open spaces in winter.
When it comes to indoor tennis, he can “understand the judgment better.
If you want to continue to prevent sport in the hall as a whole, then I see no other option than this judgment, and unfortunately there can be no exception for tennis either. "
Manfred Slawny (SC Moosen) understands that the associations want to make a sporting offer as soon as possible, especially since the risk of infection is relatively low in tennis.
“On the other hand, the restrictions are currently always to be understood with the context of making as few contacts as possible.” There are a lot of shops that are currently closed, although hygiene concepts have been developed.
“I hardly believe that there would be a great deal of understanding that with many bans it should now be possible for tennis to be played.” Slawny fears that “many children, but also many adults, lack their sport and, in the long run, health consequences could have".
But first of all it is important that the corona situation is defused and that everyone can lead a relatively normal life again: "And most tennis players above all hope that they can play again in spring and summer."
Klaus Huber from TC Dorfen considers the BayVGH decision to be bitter, especially for tennis clubs that operate a hall or have invested in year-round outdoor courts.
He also thinks of the trainers, “who continue to be banned from working as a result”.
But Huber also cares about the offspring in his own club.
“TC Dorfen has organized training for many children and young people in the halls of TC Erding and in Waldkraiburg.
For our little ones in the U 8 and U 9 teams, we have planned training in the Dorfen gym.
However, this training could only be carried out once since the end of October due to the lockdown. "Now his hope is that we will be able to return to the halls at least from the beginning of March and restart training for the children and young people."
Although he is not a lawyer, says Alex Dittrich (FC Forstern), "the decision is of course a shame, even if I somehow expected this decision".
For the tennis players in Bavaria it is just frustrating to see that they are allowed to play in other federal states: “This increases the lack of understanding and the feeling of unequal treatment.
But that's the way it is in federalism. "
Stephan Köpernik from TC Isen expresses understanding for both sides: “As an association, we find it fundamentally understandable that the association has tried to put forward its arguments for the reopening of the tennis facilities through legal channels and thus represent the interests of some of its members. "On the other hand, he can understand the decision of the court:" We hope that the situation will soon have relaxed enough that not only can we play tennis again, but all other sports can be practiced again. "