Sigi's tips: Football rises above the virus

Sigi Heinrich

If you look through the sports calendar, you get the impression that everything is normal at the moment. The discussion about incidence values and case numbers or even the threat of overcrowding of intensive care beds due to Corona: all of this seems very far away. Sport doesn't suppress everything, but it allows for a lot. I'm currently busy with the World Curling Championships in Calgary. Well, I know that doesn't necessarily generate a lot of attention because this sport only has a big tradition in a few countries. In addition, many people still find it strange that two men with brooms are furiously mopping in front of the granite stone, as if the ice wasn't already shiny enough. This results from ignorance about the result of this action, because it is basically ingenious how you can influence the curve of the stone and its speed. But that's not really what I'm interested in. The curlers have to play with masks at the World Cup I would like to emphasize that the curlers have had to play with masks since their semi-finals for their World Championship title. There were a few cases of coronavirus, after which the health department in Calgary immediately stopped the event. This completely disrupted the TV broadcast plans and made the teams have to work hard. The Swiss even had to play three games in one day. Three times three hours of maximum concentration. Actually impossible, but everyone was happy that at least they could play. The Swiss at least rewarded themselves by winning the bronze medal. Sweden became world champions. Germany and Italy did not make it past the preliminary round, in which 13 games had to be played in one week, and finished in tenth and seventh place respectively. The Olympic tickets were only available for the first six teams, but there is still a chance to get one of the remaining three places out of ten (China is automatically qualified) in another qualifying tournament. Just by the way. UEFA really wants spectators at the European Championships While in Calgary they were literally fighting for the bubble and all players in the semi-finals had to take another rapid test shortly before the games, which is absolutely exemplary, others don't give a damn about this virus and its now numerous mutations. Yes, it is almost an affront to the efforts of all countries, regardless of how successfully the fight against the pandemic is currently being carried out, that the football officials sitting on the highest horse really behave as if everything is already over. Aleksander Ceferin, the President of the European Football Association (UEFA), is demanding that the twelve cities in which the European Championship is to be held have spectators in these days when daycare centers are closing again, schools are stopping face-to-face teaching and curfews are becoming the norm must be allowed into the stadiums. Otherwise, if that is not possible, as Dublin and Bilbao have already signaled, there will be no games there. UEFA is putting pressure on the associations and even more on politics. And what happens: It seems as if everyone is giving in.

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin wants the European Championship to be held in front of spectators. © AFP / FABRICE COFFRINI

In Munich, Phillip Lahm is involved in the organization team and loudly announces that there will be spectators in the Allianz Arena. He has courage, the lame one. Markus Söder, who wants to become chancellor in Germany, has also already had contact with Ceferin. Probably the highest priority. Italy's football president Gabriele Gravina was one of the first to follow the Slovenian willingly. He immediately reached out to his network, contacted Health Minister Roberto Speranza and proudly announced: “I am sure that we will have many spectators at the European Championships. It will definitely be a lot.” Italy is scheduled to play its opening game against Turkey in Rome on June 11th. Budapest even guarantees a full stadium and also allows foreign spectators to buy tickets. After all, a negative corona test is required for this. Football doesn't give a damn about public perception and because football fans also make up a large section of the electorate, politics obligingly plays along.

Children and young people are not allowed to vote; they can continue to be the pawns of half-baked pandemic measures. After all, it is clear these days that the risk of infection outdoors appears to be controllable (whatever that may mean) and that the great danger lies in the journey and in group formation indoors. I'm thinking of train compartments with eight people in a very small space. The virus is definitely having a festival there. Meanwhile, people in Calgary are preparing for the next World Curling Championships. The women are on the ice at the beginning of May. Probably everyone already wore a mask in the preliminary round. The curlers are still taking the virus seriously.

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Sigi's tips: Football rises above the virus

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