Each country has its areas of controversy at the time of deconfinement. At a time when France is passionately debating the reopening of parks, gardens and beaches, it is on the football stadiums that the controversy is crystallized, in Germany, on the occasion of the resumption, on Saturday 16 May, of the Bundesliga . A first in a Europe where France and the Netherlands have announced that they are interrupting their season, while others are preparing for a restart, such as Spain, England, Italy or Russia which, Friday, May 15, said it would resume matches on June 21.
In a country where a quarter of the population declares "To be particularly interested" in football, according to the AWA survey, which paints a picture each year of German cultural practices and consumption habits, the restarting of the championship could have been acclaimed. On the contrary, it is disputed. According to the latest wave of the ARD / Deutschlandtrend barometer, published on Friday 15 May, 56% of those questioned were opposed to the resumption of the season, only 31% being in favor. A month earlier, it was the opposite: 52% for, 30% against.
To get the green light from the authorities and the support of public opinion, the German Football League (DFL), anxious to touch the remaining television rights due, did not spare its penalty. Witness the plan presented by its president, Christian Seifert, on April 23. 41 pages long, this document lists all the rules supposed to allow a resumption of matches in optimal sanitary conditions.
Drastic rules
These first concern the stadiums, where the presence is limited to 300 people, divided into three zones between which all contact is prohibited: the "indoor stadium", reserved for teams, referees, rescuers and three photographers; the “stands”, limited to 115 spectators, including ten journalists; and finally the "outside area", for fifty security agents and as many members of the technical teams of the television channels.
In the field, the rules are drastic: no "escort kids" holding the players' hands when they enter the pitch, no mascot, no handshake or group photo before kick-off, wearing mandatory mask on the bench, where only one seat out of two can be occupied … And, during games, no hugs to celebrate a goal. Instead, players are encouraged to "Favor the contacts of the elbow and the foot".
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