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“It just came to our knowledge then. Again, it should be understood that maybe only 10-20 percent. Agree to train outdoors, eventually coaches cool down and time is limited as long as you can work outdoors in right now. There is no real help in this case, “Eltai said.
Speaking of sports clubs, A. Mačiukas emphasized that their activities have been paralyzed for almost a year.
“It just came to our attention then. For half a year they seemed to have been active, at least during the summer, between quarantine periods. So there weren’t many people, other than a normal pickup, and they closed us down for half a year. Meanwhile, maintenance costs remain: in the spring, we had some options for rent compensation, and now that is no longer the case. Sports club areas are spacious, most owners issue bills, accumulate debt and will come soon a wave of bankruptcies ”, he emphasized.
The LSKA president noted that clearer studies are lacking on the possibility of contracting COVID-19 during specific activities.
“Sometimes it seems that all the bans on activities, the figures given, are taken from the ceiling. No follow-up. We have provided a series of independent European studies to the Council of Experts, which show that more than a thousand infections have been recorded in fourteen countries over the entire period (quarantine – ELTA) of several million visits to sports clubs. This is 1.12 percent. 100,000 infections. visits, ”A. Mačiukas told Eltai.
“In Lithuania, the benefit-risk ratio is completely ignored. And it is not only an economic benefit for the state for the taxes paid, we are talking about the benefits for human health,” he emphasized.
According to A. Mačiukas, in order to open sports and health clubs safely, the clubs are willing to look for alternative solutions.
“We are ready to open. Several dozen major sports clubs have signed a security memorandum. We are prepared to meet any additional security requirements, not just our own. We can also do an experiment: allow one or two sports clubs to operate, as we do with schools. There are several possible solutions, but dialogue does not occur, it only pushes to the other side and so on, “he said, adding that life cannot be stopped for so long due to a pandemic, we must learn to live together the virus with maximum protection.
Meanwhile, when evaluating the financial support provided by the state to the closed sports centers, A. Mačiukas stated that it is not enough and that the influx of clients is not expected even after the liberalization of activities.
“The clubs, especially the large ones that occupy large surfaces and have to pay large amounts of rent, have calculated that the second package of measures would be enough to last about three months. And it is already the fourth month of the second quarantine.
Even if activity resumes, inevitability will be announced and restrictions will be announced. And then summer will come, (…) so there will definitely be that influx of visitors. Initially, only the most motivated and accustomed to sport will visit sports clubs. And the part that I doubted before, I think, can be lost this season completely. So, anyway, a difficult situation awaits us ”, he assured.
“Special measures are needed, the third package, which is not yet available, for those companies and businesses that have suffered more than 60-80 percent. Because, in reality, the income of health clubs today is zero and the costs have been maintained ”, emphasized A. Mačiukas.
ELTA remembers that since February 15. The government has allowed individual physical activity activities in the field provided by a sports or physical activity specialist, instructor or a specialized sports or physical activity service provider.
Universal quarantine was introduced in Lithuania from November 7. The new government, taking into account the recommendations of the experts, on December 13. decided to tighten the quarantine.
A stricter quarantine has been announced in the country until March 31.
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