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Germany’s health minister has expressed his support for the Bundesliga’s plan to resume play behind closed doors later this month.
“The (football league’s) basic plan makes sense and could serve as a model for other professional sports,” Jens Spahn told public broadcaster Deutschlandfunk on Tuesday. “But we’ll have to see how it goes.”
The German Football League (DFL), which operates Germany’s top two divisions, is hoping to get the go-ahead to restart the season behind closed doors as soon as May 15, when Chancellor Angela Merkel meets with the country’s 16 state premiers in a conference call on Wednesday.
It’s not clear how a video posted by Hertha Berlin forward Salomon Kalou could influence the political leaders’ thinking. The video, posted on Monday, showed the 34-year-old Kalou violating physical distancing rules meant to combat the coronavirus outbreak.
Hertha immediately suspended the Ivory Coast player, a move welcomed by Health Minister Spahn.
“It was important for the club to show that there would be serious consequences after this video,” Spahn said. “And I hope that everyone has now understood that this is about something serious.”
For his part, Kalou has apologized for his actions, telling broadcaster Sport1 that “I take responsibility for this stupid mistake.”
— DFL general meeting to be held on Thursday
Representatives of the 36 clubs that make up the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 have confirmed that they will meet on Thursday to discuss the results of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s meeting with the 16 state prisoners one day earlier. The DFL is hoping the politicians will approve the resumption of the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 seasons as soon as May 15.
— Doubt cast on Tour de France plans
French Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu has cast doubt on plans for the Tour de France to go ahead at a later date than usual.
The Tour, cycling’s biggest event of the year has been postponed from its original June 27 starting date to August 29 due to a ban on large gatherings in France until late August. The sports ministry also said last month that special arrangements may have to be made for the start of the Grand Depart in Nice.
“Many people are begging me to keep the Tour even behind closed doors,” Maracineanu told France Television. “I hope it will take place but I am not sure. We do not know what the epidemic will be like after lockdown.”
