- Title: Bundesliga looks set to be given green light for restart
- Date: 5th May 2020
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (German) PASSER-BY, HELMUT BOEGGE, SAYING: "I don't think it's a good idea. I really have to say that everyone in Germany is suffering because of Corona and it shouldn't be that the just the Bundesliga players are an exception and everyone else and other companies have to survive somehow. Then so should the Bundesliga clubs. And I don't think that this will be beneficial for the players, especially playing phantom games and not taking the health of the players into account." (SOUNDBITE) (German) PASSER-BY, JANA SCHNEELOCH, SAYING: "I think it should. I mean life has to start again and soccer is a part of life. I would find it great if the schools would get going as I am a mum, but I think that a step towards a form of normality, where you can at least watch soccer on TV is a good thing. And we should just try to and see if it works and I think it will." (SOUNDBITE) (German) PASSER-BY, PETER MUELLER, SAYING: "I mean the way it was in Cologne, where three people, or two ... it happens faster than you think. I mean we see how fast it spreads and then I really would recommend that each player gets tested and if they then think that things can restart again then I would be very happy." (SOUNDBITE) (German) PASSER-BY, ANJA DREES, SAYING: "I think phantom games should be allowed so that people have something that they can be happy about. And I mean we go shopping on a daily basis and have all these contact points, so why not!" VARIOUS OF EMPTY DORTMUND TICKET AREA MUNICH, GERMANY (MAY 5, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF BAYERN MUNICH HEADQUARTERS SIGN TELLING FANS THAT THEY ARE STILL CLOSED VARIOUS OF BAYERN MUNICH TRAINING BERLIN, GERMANY (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF UNION BERLIN'S EMPTY STADIUM
- Embargoed: 19th May 2020 13:49
- Keywords: Bundesliga German Chancellor Angela Merkel Germany soccer soccer restart
- Location: DORTMUND, MUNICH, FRANKFURT, GERMANY
- City: DORTMUND, MUNICH, FRANKFURT, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA003CCNKMYN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Germany's Bundesliga is set to be given the green light for a restart, probably from May 15, as part of measures to further ease the country's coronavirus regulations, two people familiar with the preparations told Reuters.
The Bundesliga would be the first of the five major European domestic soccer leagues to resume play after a stoppage which has seen almost all football put on hold around the world since mid-March.
German states are set agree on the restart in a teleconference with Chancellor Angela Merkel scheduled for Wednesday, the sources said. Matches would take place under strict conditions - and with no fans in stadiums.
So far Portugal, Poland and Hungary have given dates for restarting their national leagues, all towards the end of May.
Germany's professional teams have been training since mid-April, divided into small groups and under strict conditions which include extensive testing of all players and coaching staff.
The German Football League (DFL) has submitted a health safety plan for games without spectators which includes regular testing of players but no quarantines for entire squads in cases of positive tests.
However, it says that if a player is infected, decisions on the measures to be taken lie with the local health authorities.
On Monday, the DFL said that it had registered 10 positive cases in a blanket test of 1,724 players and staff at its 36 first and second division clubs.
The DFL said a second round of tests would be carried out in the next week and there "may be isolated positive test results".
Some media reports suggested that hopes of a restart had been hampered by the behaviour of players at Hertha Berlin on Monday.
Hertha forward Salomon Kalou posted a video on social media showing him shaking hands with players and interrupting a team mate's medical exam. The club suspended the Ivorian, who apologised and said his behaviour did not reflect the club's instructions to staff.
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