Fans gathered at several stadiums in German professional football over the weekend, and the clubs rewarded them for the presence of the team. In the short term, this probably has no consequences for the clubs – but such incidents can put future game operations in question.
By Chaled Nahar
“Uwe, Uwe” shouted the fans – and Uwe came. Arminia Bielefeld’s coach Uwe Neuhaus ran the top tier of the stadium with the second division championship trophy to show the trophy to around 3,000 tightly packed thousands of fans. The rules of distance were just as little to be seen among Bielefeld fans as they were in Dresden. Around 2,000 dynamo fans gathered there to loudly say goodbye to the relegated team, fired by the players with a megaphone. And also at Werder Bremen, a few hundred fans came to the stadium to celebrate the unexpected move into the relegation.
Whether cheering, relief or coping with frustration – the emotions are understandable. However, the three get-togethers of the weekend remain dangerous, as the corona virus, as is well known, does not distinguish between supermarket shopping and emotional exceptional situations in the ascent or relegation battle. The behavior of the two second division teams in particular raises questions.
Police Bielefeld criticized Arminia clearly
At the request of the WDR, the Bielefeld police clearly expressed their displeasure with the Arminia. After the game, around 3,000 fans were at the stadium. “The group of fans grew rapidly when players on the team – contrary to the agreements made in advance between the police and the club – showed up near the entrance gate and animated the crowd with songs and shouts to celebrate,” said the police. According to the officials, players had once again gone into the city in a convoy in a convoy in order to be celebrated by more than 1,000 people. Officials should have stopped the players.
For reasons of proportionality, the police did not intervene to violate the Corona Protection Ordinance. Arminia Bielefeld initially did not want to comment on the WDR, so far there is no description of the processes from the club’s perspective.
Dresden and Bielefeld proudly spread the celebrations online
In Dresden around 2,000 fans gathered in front of the stadium to say goodbye to the team after relegation. The players celebrated loudly with the fans. Here too, according to the Dresden police, proceedings were initiated because of administrative offenses, but intervening in the matter of corona protective measures was also not done for reasons of proportionality.
Bielefeld and Dresden must now live with the criticism that they have rewarded and fueled the actually unwanted coming of the fans with the presence of their players and coaches. The clubs also spread the misconduct on social networks. Arminia showed two videos of the celebration, Dynamo proudly announced as text to a video: “Dresden is just different.” The infection rate in Germany has recently subsided, and the unreasonableness in football seems to be increasing.
The clubs will hardly have to fear any consequences from the DFL. The fans were in the public space during the operations, which is a matter for the police and not for the hygiene concept. But even if the responsibility lies with the police, the topic remains one of the DFL and the clubs involved. Because if such incidents happen again, the question of the feasibility of the games could arise politically at some point.
Restraint is required
Before the game resumed, fans were often seen as a potential danger. But for weeks Ultras and all other fan groups behaved exemplary. They warned football online about reforms for financial sustainability. Offline they adhered to the stipulation of avoiding the stadiums. Bremen’s senator Ulrich Mäurer (SPD) was one of the loudest concerns in this regard.
Now he says in the online portal “Deichstube” about Werder’s supporters: “Several hundred fans have pretended that there is no longer a corona.” He is not yet threatened with any consequences. To cancel Werder Bremen’s first leg of relegation against 1. FC Heidenheim next Thursday (02.07.2020) is disproportionate. Instead, Mäurer appealed to the fans. “For Thursday: join in the excitement, cheer on, but please from home.” So even the greatest emotion requires restraint – among the fans, but also among the clubs and players.
Those: sportschau.de
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