[ad_1]
BLICK: Mr. Grimm, what do your Ukrainian colleagues say about the cancellation of the game?
Thomas Grimm: The first information came from UEFA around 11:15 am At first they couldn’t believe the news, then there was disbelief. Those responsible immediately began to look for possible alternative solutions such as flying in the U21s in Northern Ireland or in a U20 team in Ukraine. Shortly before 1 pm, the “Order for Measures to be Taken Against the Players and Staff of the Ukraine National Soccer Team”, as the original is called, was sent to the association in German via the Association Switzerland Soccer.
Did you have direct contact with the Ukrainians?
Yes, I was sitting with the general secretary of the association in the hotel in Lucerne when this bad news came. The document was also sent to me electronically. The justification for the ordered measure was to prevent an “uncontrolled spread of 2019-nCov from the Ukraine national soccer team to other people, in particular to the players and staff of the Swiss national team, and to the general population.” I cannot understand this justification, especially the reference to the general population. Uefa’s protection concepts state that there can be no contact with the “normal” population. The reasoning is also based on the assumption that an unknown number of delegation members who previously tested negative may have contracted the virus.
Are you sure that the Ukrainians always followed the protective measures?
I cannot answer that question as I was not with the delegation. I can only tell you that during the entire time I spent with the Ukrainian delegation in the hotel lobby, they all wore a protective mask without exception.
Apparently, the Ukrainians were also seen on the hotel premises after the quarantine order. That sounds ignorant.
I left the hotel around 1 pm By then the Ukrainian delegation had not officially received the document. In my opinion, the document was not yet delivered correctly from a legal point of view. In any case, all the players and team members headed straight to their hotel rooms after arriving from training. In the event of a decision with this scope and consequences, I would have expected someone from the “Health and Sports” department to come in person immediately, deliver the final decision and explain the consequences. Until I left the hotel, this did not happen.
But at the end of the day, the Lucerne canton doctor quarantined the entire team due to a new positive case from Corona. This is the practice that excites all of Swiss sport anyway.
In this case, I cannot understand the decision. For me it is not provided. Compared to neighboring countries, Switzerland is relatively moderate in terms of measures to contain the Covid19 virus. In most cantons it is still possible to go to a restaurant, including the canton of Lucerne. There was a theoretical risk to the health of all team members and staff of both delegations, not the general public. The conditions here cannot be compared to normal league games of soccer or ice hockey.
Why not?
The players do not stay together in a hotel, but instead go home after a training session or a game. Certainly, there is an increased risk of infection and spread. In the present case, the entire delegation is under constant control and is staying in a hotel. From a human point of view, there was no danger to the people of Lucerne. Then how? There was no contact. If the responsible authority had recognized a danger here, additional measures could have been taken to protect the population of Lucerne. It would have hurt no one if the decision to “play or not play” had been left to UEFA and both associations. This also has nothing to do with special treatment for top-level sport.
What do you mean?
I just ask myself: Where is the risk of infection highest? In a restaurant with more than 100 untested guests or in a soccer game with 22 players where the negative test is not more than 24 hours old? However, this would have allowed a discussion on a fair and appropriate sports decision, which is not based on an assumption, but on new test results and would certainly have put the focus on the health of the players and staff members. Even if the decision had been the same. Players are very aware of risk. Weekend after weekend they play against players who have been evaluated negatively, who could theoretically carry the virus.
You are a lawyer and have worked for both UEFA and FIFA for a long time. Will Switzerland win a ski pass?
I can only speculate. But this discussion could have been saved if the canton doctor had not exceeded the target with his decision. One possibility, for example, would have been to postpone the match to Wednesday and retest the Ukrainian team before the match. If 13 or more players had tested negative, you could have played. According to the UEFA regulations, as far as I know, there are two options: ski pass or draw. Both solutions are unsatisfactory because they were not produced on the ground. Even at the disadvantage of Switzerland when it comes to drawing lots.
Do you see any other solution?
Perhaps a new game schedule for next year is even possible. As an example, the match could be bounced back in one of the Euro 2021 preparation matches. In my opinion, UEFA has no time pressure to play this game this year. That would be the fairest sports solution.
