Bundesliga board warns end of team sports

The Bundesliga faces a groundbreaking extraordinary general meeting on Thursday. The video conference is nothing less than the future of national professional soccer.

However, the future depends on political decisions. Recently, the concept elaborated for the continuation of the league was rejected and a stricter quarantine regulation was requested. For league board member Christian Ebenbauer, it is impossible to continue under the required steps.

And in an interview with the APA, he warns of the end of team sports: “If the current state remains, there will be no team sport for a long period of time, until there is a vaccine.”

“As if there was a fire on the tenth floor …”

Specifically, the Ministry of Health requires that if the crown test is positive, the entire team in question and possibly even the opposing team must be quarantined for two weeks. The league concept only provides limited quarantine.

As a result of the crown crisis, Ebenbauer faces a multitude of problems. “It is as if there is a fire on the tenth floor, you want to extinguish and only get to the fifth floor,” said the 44-year-old man, describing the current situation.

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“It can quickly become a coup de grace”

There can only be a solution if the Ministry of Health refrains from its quarantine requirement. “If a player is positive and then his entire team and maybe his opponent has to be quarantined, a championship operation is not possible because it needs security planning. It just doesn’t work under these conditions,” said Ebenbauer.

The Sports Ministry had given positive signs for weeks before the Ministry of Health became serious. Ebenbauer: “It was a slap that can quickly become a knockout when I think about next season,” said Ebenbauer. “If we test every three days, there’s not much more risk minimization.”

Criticism of Austria Lustenau’s training ban

The current ban on training for second division teams other than the Cup finalist, Austria Lustenau, is also incomprehensible to the league council.

“Employees cannot carry out their work in accordance with safety measures and at least train in small groups, but at the same time, ten people can get together in a park and do something if the distance rules are observed.”

It’s all just speculation right now

The second highest division has not yet been abandoned, and cannot be canceled at the general meeting, but it still seems difficult to continue.

“As long as there is no decision on the conditions under which they can train and enter team training, any discussion of this or next season is speculation,” said Ebenbauer.

Numerous problems to increase the league.

The current two main clubs in the 2nd division, SV Ried and Austria Klagenfurt, wish to be included in the highest division, which would consist of 14 clubs. This requires a two-thirds majority at the general meeting, which is unlikely to occur. In case of rejection, both clubs announced demands.

According to Ebenbauer, an increase at this time would be associated with numerous problems, “because there are many parameters open. We have not yet issued any licenses, and we do not even know if we will have 14 clubs next season. Then it comes to relegation regulations or conditions of the financial framework “. “

This would also affect cooperation with primary licensee Sky. “The league format is set out in the television contract. Therefore, an agreement must be reached with Sky,” said Ebenbauer.

Deactivate licensing procedures

There is broad agreement on reducing the requirements for 2020/21 gaming permits. Financial criteria should be suspended, as suggested by UEFA. Also, a club that falls bankrupt during the season should no longer have to automatically relegate.

According to Ebenbauer, penalties such as deduction of points or budget limits for transfers would be possible.

“A difficult balancing act”

The question is still open about whether the Bundesliga should get a double-digit loan of one million euros to support falling clubs. Recently there was also debate about a possible increase in the number of members of the Supervisory Board of Rapid, Austria and a second division team.

This point reveals the differences of opinion between Red Bull Salzburg, Rapid, Austria and Sturm Graz, who want to return to play quickly, and LASK, Admira and WSG Tirol, who are holding back.

“It is clear that there are many different interests in the current situation. Each managing director must strive to represent the interests of his club, on the other hand, everyone is obliged to represent the common interests of the Bundesliga. It is a difficult balancing act.” Ebenbauer said.

Text source: © LAOLA1 / APA

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