Berlin. On Wednesday there was finally positive news for Alba Berlin, which did not have a negative aftertaste in these days, which were characterized by corona reports. The Basketball Bundesliga (BBL) has granted the German champions’ requests to postpone their three games in the first round of the cup. One (against Braunschweig) had already failed last weekend, the other two should have taken place next Saturday (against Bonn) and Sunday (against Oldenburg).
But that is impossible. Alba had made the applications because six team members are infected with the corona virus. A drastic consequence for the BBL is that the top four for the cup, which was planned for November 1st and 2nd as the first season highlight in Munich, has to be postponed to an indefinite time. And for Alba it means that the reigning double winner still has a chance to defend that trophy on the field.
Finding three new dates will be very challenging
That’s easier said than done. BBL and Alba first have to find three dates on which the games can be rescheduled. A demanding task, because the basketball players’ calendar is already well filled. BBL managing director Stefan Holz was calm to the Berliner Morgenpost: “We’ll manage the three games,” he said, “we have all the time in the world. The season goes into June next year. ”It was clear to him from the start that there would also be corona cases in German basketball. “We just wouldn’t have needed that on the first weekend.”
So far it is not known how the many infections among the Berlin basketball players came about. But there are rumors that the Alba travel group did not even catch the virus in Moscow, where the team sensationally won 93:88 against CSKA Moscow last Friday evening. The day before, 20 people had flown to the Russian capital by charter for the Euroleague game. The “BZ” reported that one of the twelve players had already felt uncomfortable upon arrival. He was actually not used then. On Saturday afternoon, the entourage landed in Bonn for the cup game and was immediately tested.
BBL managing director Holz expects further cases
As the club’s media director, Justus Strauven, reported, “the positive test was on Sunday night”. In any case, that would be unusually early if the professional in question was infected in Russia. When asked whether he would like to comment on the speculation about who was responsible, Strauven replied: “No.”
How long the team will have to remain in isolation (those who have tested positive) or quarantine (first-degree contact persons; that is, everyone who was with us in Moscow) is still open. “The responsible health department decides on it,” said Strauven. The association is waiting for their decision. It is still not certain whether other people are infected. As a rule of thumb, fifty percent of infections are detectable after five to six days, and 95 percent after ten days. Which implies that there can always be outliers. In addition: It does not have to stay with the six infected.
Alba sports director Ojeda hopes for fairness
First of all, it is a matter of waiting, which is the most unpleasant situation for all athletes and for the twenty people concerned. And then, when everything is over, concentrate on the sport. Quickly find the rhythm again, catch up on missed games, one by one. Alba sports director Himar Ojeda, who was not in Moscow, is happy that the cup can still be defended.
“Good news,” he said, “even though we know the organizational difficulties that this brings with it. Nevertheless, “added the Spaniard,” we have to keep trying to play basketball, to manage the competitions in such a way that everyone has fair chances. We have to manage to adapt to the situation. “One thing is clear:” Health comes first. “
Ojeda and Holz are aware of one more thing: “There will be more impacts,” as the BBL managing director put it. However, he wants to keep his optimism: “We knew that. We have time. Let’s see how far we can get. “
Read more about Alba Berlin here.
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