Swimming department of TSV Jahn Freising before the end

The swimming division of TSV Jahn Freising threatens to break up due to the high fees for using the fresch.

The association harshly criticizes city politics.

Freising

– A sword of Damocles hovers over the swimming department of TSV Jahn Freising.

The fees for using the fresch are so high that the division is on the brink of collapse.

The club officials are disappointed.

Also and above all by the political leaders.

In a press conference, chairman Franz Lupp and department head Anna Becker explained the problem. When the move to the Freising swimming pool was made fresh in March 2019, the fees for use tripled, reports Lupp.

"Back then, it soon became clear to us that we couldn't afford such high fees." Talks were therefore held with the public utility company, which admittedly showed understanding.

"But they couldn't change anything about the fee schedule," says Lupp.

"Actually, with that knowledge, we should have closed the swimming department back then."

Immense costs cause headaches

Then came Corona.

Lockdown, no swimming and therefore no costs.

Since January 2022, the training and practice operations of the Jahn swimmers have been running again - and in the spring the first bill came from the municipal utility.

"We realized again that we cannot bear these costs in the long term," says division head Becker.

TSV Jahn raises around 100,000 euros per year for hall rentals.

50 percent of this was accounted for by the fresch.

Becker then asked around at some swimming clubs in the region.

She doesn't know anyone who has to pay such high fees for using a swimming pool.

"The SV Lohhof or the SV Grafing-Ebersberg can use the municipal swimming pools free of charge." Lupp wrote a letter to Mayor Tobias Eschenbacher at the beginning of August - with the request for all Freisinger clubs that use the fresch to significantly reduce the fees.

Since there had been no response by the beginning of November, the Jahn chairman asked and received an answer from Eschenbacher at the end of November.

Tenor: There is no financial leeway to change the fee schedule.

He suggested realizing a sponsorship offer from the public utility company.

For Lupp, this is not an alternative: “Sponsors can withdraw at short notice.

Recently I got the impression that many city councilors have no interest in dealing with the work and problems of sports clubs.

Franz Lupp, chairman of TSV Jahn Freising

The Jahn boss was irritated in the press conference.

He expected representatives of the association to sit down with some city councilors and the mayor to explain the problem in a differentiated way.

“An appreciative communication with honorary officials looks different.

After all, almost ten percent of Freising's population are members of TSV Jahn." And further: "I recently got the impression that many city councilors have no interest in dealing with the work and problems of sports clubs."

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Hoping for a solution: Chairman Franz Lupp and department head Anna Becker.

© span wheel

Lupp and Becker would like to make it clear to the city's political leaders that the swimming department provides high-quality leisure activities, especially for children and young people.

Swimming is a healthy, low-injury sport.

"It's great fun for many children," says Becker, pointing out that 80 percent of the current 254 members do recreational sports and 20 percent take part in competitions from time to time.

"When our swimmers come back from competitions with a medal, they are important role models for the children," adds club boss Lupp.

Several possibilities, but not a real option

In the past few weeks, Jahn has been feverishly considering how to minimize this upcoming deficit to the point where he can live with it.

In addition to the swimmers' divisional contributions, the department receives around 8,000 euros in grants from the city of Freising, the district and the BLSV for children, young people and trainers.

The recently held Jahn Christmas market brought in 3,000 euros.

In addition, there is a small surplus from the fees charged for the beginner courses.

According to Lupp, money can be withdrawn from other departments in order to reduce the swimmers' deficit.

Not an option for the Jahn boss.

"Then members from these departments leave the club." The fees for the beginner swimming courses could be significantly increased, as well as the divisional contribution.

“However, all this is not enough.

(By the way: everything from the region is now also available in our regular Freising newsletter.)

Anna Becker has calculated how high the divisional contribution would have to be for the swimmers just to finance the fees for the fresh: "In addition to the membership fee, each swimmer would then have to contribute an additional 100 euros per year." Lupp cannot represent this to the members .

It could be over in the course of the first quarter of 2023

The children and young people have long since noticed that the continued existence of the department is not in the best of hands.

During the Christmas market, girls and boys put signs around their necks: “Children need to swim!

Support the only children's swimming club in Freising!” they read.

That is of course an emotional way to convey the problems, says Lupp.

He would prefer to resolve them on a factual level.

Becker and Lupp seemed disillusioned at the press conference: "As it currently looks, we will have to close our swimming department in its current form during the first quarter of 2023," explains Lupp.

“Perhaps we can then only offer beginner swimming courses.

Because they carry themselves.”

You can find more current news from the district of Freising at Merkur.de/Freising.