Sigi's tips: The sport is threatened with darkness

The clever man takes precautions. Woman, smart too, of course, as well. It's incredibly complicated these days because the gender balance swings wildly with every sentence. So we take the woman with us to the hardware store and diligently order: matches, long-burning candles. We shouldn't look at the price at first, because only good wax will serve us for a long time. Christmas is approaching? Yes, but that's not the reason for our unusual shopping list. Rather, it is a fear that lies within all of us, which sometimes grabs us with large wings and sharp claws and then has us firmly in its grip. It clings to us and tightens our throats. The fear of the dark. It is getting closer now, day by day, step by step, minute by minute. At some point, that's how I interpret the politicians' dramatic threatening gestures, at some point the light will be completely turned off. A start should be made soon. From 22 p.m. onwards, the advertising boards in the stadiums will no longer receive any juice. Further measures threaten on the still bright horizon. Gyms should have emergency lighting so that you can only practice at dusk. The counter-reactions are outlined. Luckily the table tennis ball is fluorescent. Housewife gymnastics is limited to a few exercises. Distance is also important now so that you don't get injured if you get too close in the dark. But we still know that from the dark Corona times. The relay race must be completed with burning candles. Of course, new world records will then no longer be possible. The flame must be brought burning towards the goal, which can hardly be seen and can only be guessed at. The quality lies in a controlled slowness. That's a good thing, because otherwise the audience wouldn't see anything at all. Headlamps for goalkeepers The new dark sports world is racing towards us like a meteorite, almost unchecked, and is capable of wiping out all sporting life, because in the Champions League, for example, the games don't start until 21 p.m. As far as we know, a kick like this lasts an hour and a half, usually more because there are no longer any games without injury time. We shouldn't forget halftime because this is when the first in-depth analyzes are made. You can just barely see it, because, as I said, the hands of the clock move mercilessly forward. It's ten o'clock in the evening. The floodlights are suddenly just a flash, the advertising boards are no longer visible, which is of course also because they are now illuminated boards with alternating advertising messages, whereas previously people simply hung printed plastic tarpaulins. As with Corona, there is a risk of financial disaster again, which is why canceling the game is initially unthinkable. It has to go on. The ball now lights up like a Christmas ball and the goalkeepers wear headlamps. There should still be enough of them available, especially in Dortmund or Schalke, where people used to go to the pit. Of course, ice hockey rinks are melting because the energy required is now being used to supply households. Roller hockey, during the day of course, is an alternative. Popular sports are the first victims The austerity measures designed to ensure warm homes could have a fatal impact on sport. And not just on top-class sport or football, which can of course have an important impact when it comes to obtaining energy resources. As in the Corona era, it is popular sport that is being sacrificed without there being a storm of indignation. It's a gradual decline. Without sports facilities, offers can no longer be made, which in the long term will be at the expense of public health. A generation of young people is growing up who can no longer roll backwards. Forward, perhaps just barely. Even worse: They can't even swim. And lifeguards, who are all the more urgent, have long been a dying breed. It would be time for elite sport and popular sport to agree on one voice to cushion the impending restrictions as best as possible. Football could cope with a lack of income from advertising boards for a certain period of time. Popular sports can’t do that. He lives from hand to mouth and is still damaged by the corona measures. There is no need for fireworks in Monza or even in Qatar at the upcoming World Cup, where energy is being wasted on an unimaginable scale. Less would now not only be more, but also vital for sport. Maybe you can even dust off the good old plastic advertising hoardings or start a game a few hours earlier so that school sports and popular sports in particular can be caught up before the sporting darkness becomes impenetrable. About the person: Sigi Heinrich The renowned sports journalist, author and award-winning Eurosport commentator (including winner of the German Television Prize and the Bavarian Sports Prize) not only dedicates his column “Sigi's Spitze” to the entire diversity of sport. He also deals with topics outside of his usual profession. Sometimes very seriously, often with a mischievous wink and sometimes deliberately provocative. There should be something for everyone.

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Sigi's tips: The sport is threatened with darkness

Politicians' considerations of reducing sports activities in order to save energy could have fatal consequences. In addition to top-class sport, our columnist Sigi Heinrich sees a great danger for popular sport and therefore also for the development of young people.

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