Corona lockdown: tennis should remain possible - restrictions threaten
After the quasi-lockdown in Germany, tennis is also facing restrictions again. A similar situation can also be expected in Austria.
by Nikolaus Fink
last edit: Oct 30, 2020, 01:06 pm
Germany wants to get the rising corona numbers under control with strict contact restrictions. As Chancellor Angela Merkel announced on Wednesday, leisure facilities, bars, clubs and many service companies will be closed from Monday until the end of November. But what does that mean for tennis?
“Institutions and facilities that can be assigned to recreational activities will be closed. These include theaters, cinemas, amusement parks, amusement arcades, brothels, fitness studios and similar facilities, leisure and amateur sports on and in all public and private sports facilities - with the exception of individual sports alone, in pairs or with your own household, "it says in the text passage on leisure time.
Hope for German tennis players
So there is at least hope that tennis players can continue to pursue their hobby. However, as in the spring, the regulations will differ from state to state. "The individual federal states will now work out and communicate rulings based on the decision of the federal government. These rulings will clarify whether and how sport can be practiced in November. There will then also be guidelines for tennis," says German tennis Federal (DTB).
According to the DTB, it is clear that tennis will again only be possible to a limited extent: "Nonetheless, the DTB assumes that tennis as an individual sport does not have to be completely stopped. Rather, a game for two or a double with four people should be a maximum two households will still be possible. "
However, it is still uncertain how the media games will continue. "Any regulations on point games in the hall will be discussed in the state associations after the respective state decree has been announced. Different regulations of the state associations cannot be ruled out," said the DTB. In Bavaria, amateur and popular sports have already been discontinued according to a cabinet decision. And in North Rhine-Westphalia, too, leisure and amateur activities "outside of closed rooms" are not permitted.
Austrians are waiting for further measures
In Austria, a further drastic tightening of the corona measures has so far been dispensed with. A government press conference has been announced for Saturday, October 31, at which, according to reports, a "lockdown light" could also be imposed.
Should there be further contact restrictions, tennis in Austria could be threatened with a temporary end. However, it is not yet clear how far-reaching the measures in sport will be.