Large parts of sport are threatened – appeal to politicians
Stand: 12:45 p.m. | Reading time: 3 minutes
Popular sport has come to a standstill in Germany – the consequences are serious
Quelle: pa/HMB Media/He/Heiko Becker
The situation of sports clubs in the pandemic is alarming. “The difficulties are greater than with the first lockdown,” says DOSB President Alfons Hörmann and appeals to politicians. He also talks about Tokyo 2021. A cancellation would have fatal consequences.
DOSB President Alfons Hörmann has confirmed that organized sport in Germany is existentially threatened by the consequences of the corona pandemic. “There is a real risk that we will find Sport Germany significantly weakened after the crisis,” he said on Saturday at the digital general meeting of the German Olympic Sports Confederation.
Hörmann added emphatically: “If you think that this is presented too negatively, I can recommend that you go to the base of the clubs. Then your point of view will be put into perspective. “
The pandemic threatens large parts of the sport and its very existence. The results of surveys by the DOSB among the member organizations had produced “alarming results”. According to this, half of the associations assumed that if the corona situation remained unchanged until the end of 2021, they would be able to come into an “existentially threatening situation”.
“The effects go far beyond the financial damage,” emphasized Hörmann. “90 percent of the clubs assume that they will have to restrict offers, have fewer members and send fewer teams to competitions.” Many volunteers would no longer have the “necessary strength and motivation” to continue to get involved.
Sport as part of the solution
“We are currently in a very difficult phase. The difficulties are greater than with the first lockdown, ”said Hörmann. “Once again we support the decision of the federal and state governments in solidarity, despite the negative effects on sport. It’s not easy for us. ”The sport found quick answers to the challenge, such as comprehensive hygiene concepts that are adhered to with an“ exemplary level of discipline ”.
“Then you won’t recognize Sport-Germany”
On the day of the planned opening ceremony in Tokyo, DOSB President Alfons Hörmann spoke in an exclusive interview about the effects of the corona pandemic on German sport and looks at the postponed hosting of the Olympic Games in the coming year.
“Sport is not a major driver of infection”, Hörmann emphasized and appealed to politicians: “Therefore act with a sense of proportion, recognize and discuss with us where sport can be part of the solution.”
Cancellation of the Olympics would have unimaginable consequences
In a dpa interview, Hörmann also commented on the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo. In his opinion, a cancellation would have fatal economic consequences for international sport. “If the games shouldn’t take place or even not twice in a row, then that would have financial repercussions on all levels across the world of sport that most of the people couldn’t even imagine,” he said.
If the funds from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) were no longer to flow to the National Olympic Committees and the leading international associations, “it will relatively quickly become apparent at each individual base that significantly less money from the Olympic Games is entering the system,” explained Hörmann .
The Tokyo Games have been postponed for one year to next summer due to the pandemic. The Winter Games in Beijing are planned for February 2022.
A German Olympic bid will only be discussed in detail next year. According to Hörmann, the DOSB is “in constant dialogue with the IOC and within the sports family in Germany” and with the Rhine-Ruhr 2032 initiative Project, ”he said.
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