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Children at home during live training
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Ian West / dpa
DOSB Vice President Andreas Silbersack has warned of the long-term consequences of the increased immobility in amateur and popular sports caused by the pandemic.
“We have a dramatic situation.
What the child and youth report shows us has been pulverized, «said Silbersack, who is responsible for popular sport in the German Olympic Sports Confederation, on Wednesday at the hearing of the sports committee on the fourth edition of the report.
"I ask the sports committee to view this as a cry for help."
The report found, among other things, that the growing prevalence of inactivity and, as a result, obesity is becoming more noticeable and adversely affecting the physical, mental and social health of children and adolescents.
The exercise we need for the children is an investment in the future
DOSB Vice President Andreas Silbersack
"For more than a year, the children in schools and clubs have not been able to do sports as they should," said the DOSB deputy.
"Before the planned amendment to the Infection Protection Act, we therefore need privileges for people up to 14 years of age so that they can play sports." Otherwise, a situation would arise that would occupy society for decades: "We are producing a lost generation.
The movement we need for the children is an investment in the future. "
Fear of health consequences
According to Silbersack, a third of the 27 million club members are children and young people.
"At the end of the day we are talking about 1 to 1.5 million children who are preoccupied with obesity, eating disorders and mental health problems," he explained and appealed: "As the DOSB, we need help from politicians."
If overweight children sit in front of the computer from morning to evening and eat something unhealthy, this is the child's farewell to exercise.
"All of this will fall on our feet so financially when this generation says: We have cardiovascular problems, a risk of heart attacks or diabetes," said Silbersack.
"If we don't approach the matter actively, we will pay the bill for society as a whole."
cev / dpa
