German sport accepts govt ban on fans but counts the cost

German sport reacted with resignation on Tuesday to the government decision to ban fans from arenas in major leagues and at big events, reported dpa.

Bundesliga football clubs such as Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig had already been playing behind closed doors for weeks due to rising coronavirus cases, while a patchwork of fan restrictions were in place across the rest of Germany.

The specter of the Omicron variant has led Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the German states to agree to empty arenas from December 28. The Bundesliga is on a mid-season break until January 7.

"The temporary restrictions imposed by the federal and state governments on spectators at major events are regrettable but understandable - even if we all hoped until recently that there would be no nationwide return to games without fans in the stadiums," said the German Football League (DFL), which runs the Bundesliga.

"The DFL makes a renewed and urgent appeal: Get vaccinated or get a booster as soon as possible!"

German football's top flight was already without fans from May 2020 after the league resumed following the pandemic hitting Europe. Gradually supporters were allowed back in and some stadiums were full as recently as last month.

Several clubs had to make savings when fans were first shut out, including asking players to take wage cuts. Some fear the same fate this time.

"This is not good news for the whole of professional sport," said Cologne managing director Alexander Wehrle, who questioned if outdoor sport was really the problem.

"This means 1.8 million euros in lost revenue per game. It also means we'll have to take measures in the coming weeks and months. All the findings we have from the health experts or from Cologne's public health department say there have been no coronavirus hotspots at outdoor events."

It is not just football affected. The less well-off German basketball and ice hockey leagues will be badly hit, for example.

The iconic Four Hills ski-jumping tournament, which starts with jumps in the Bavarian ski resorts of Oberstdorf (December 29) and Garmisch-Partenkirchen (January 1) will also have to do without supporters.

There was some good news for German sport from the meeting of government and state leaders. A coronavirus aid programme for professional sport, which was due to lapse at the end of the year, has been extended.