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Wembley Football Temple (June 18)
Photo: Mike Egerton / dpa
The delta mutant of the coronavirus continues to spread in the UK.
At the same time, several games of the European Football Championship are scheduled in the famous Wembley Stadium in London.
SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach doesn't think that's a good combination at all.
He has again spoken out in favor of postponing the decisive games at the European Football Championship and also fewer spectators for the duel between Germany and England at Wembley.
"The semi-finals and the final should not take place in London's Wembley Stadium, but be relocated to a different location," said the 58-year-old to the "Tagesspiegel" (Monday).
For the classic in the round of 16 between the selection of the German Football Association and England, 45,000 spectators can be in the stadium on Tuesday (6 p.m., live ticker on SPIEGEL.de).
Only 1500 to 2000 German fans are expected.
Tickets are only given to visitors who live in the UK or Ireland.
Lauterbach has demanded pressure from politics on the organizers that the total number of viewers be reduced, the newspaper reported on.
»What is relatively safe to offer is when every fifth seat is occupied.
So in Wembley that would be a total of 18,000 seats with a capacity of 90,000, «said Lauterbach.
EM game could become a »pandemic turbo«
For the two semi-finals and the final, Uefa has set the capacity at 60,000 fans.
"There is a real risk that a pandemic turbo will be ignited in and around Wembley Stadium," said Deputy FDP parliamentary group leader Michael Theurer.
In Great Britain, the delta variant of the coronavirus discovered in India is currently spreading rapidly and is driving up the number of new infections significantly despite the high vaccination rate.
After the match between Germany and England, both semi-finals are scheduled for July 6th and 7th, and the final is scheduled for July 11th.
jok / dpa
