ÖTV boss Magnus Brunner: "Testing in sport must be possible"
Magnus Brunner showed great understanding for the worries and concerns of sport on the occasion of the sports summit on the situation in the corona crisis. As President of the Austrian Tennis Association, Brunner is particularly aware of the effects of member resignations, loss of income, the almost complete cancellation of competitions and, above all, the decline in physical activity among the population.
by Press release
last edit: Feb 26, 2021, 08:29 pm
"The Austrian sports clubs and associations are a very important partner in the Corona crisis," says Brunner in a broadcast. "Unfortunately, during the phase of tough lockdown, they too had to lock up in order to minimize contact and accordingly limit their important function for the movement of Austrians."
571,000 children and young people are members of sports clubs and are currently prevented from practicing their favorite sport. Health experts are already warning of the massive consequences of this inactivity, especially for young people. "We all need sufficient exercise and regular sport in order to cope with the Corona crisis well. The 15,000 sports clubs with over 500,000 voluntary trainers and officials are our allies in this," says Brunner.
He therefore supports the demands of the sport for opening steps with a sense of proportion and under strict conditions: "I am in favor of the approval of group training outdoors and on outdoor sports facilities with up to 10 people from the next opening step in compliance with the distance rules and when registering participants for Groups through the sports clubs. "
For indoor sports, according to Brunner, training should be possible again step by step if the appropriate prevention and safety concepts are in place, as is the case with body-friendly services: "On a tennis court with 450m², for example, the athletes have three times the average Austrian living space per person available and usually 15 baby elephants apart. The risk of infection is therefore much lower than when two households are already allowed to meet in their own four walls. You could start quickly here, "argues Brunner.
Brunner describes the particular challenge for politics in the crisis as follows: "Tennis clubs and hall operators do not understand why they are not allowed to open despite the apparently low risk in tennis. As a member of the federal government, I see the fine line that we have between opening steps for society and the control of the pandemic. Therefore our motto is: as much sport as possible, with the greatest possible containment of the risk of infection. "
"The clear expectations of the sports representatives after the summit is a first responsible opening step in outdoor sports for organized groups and the opportunity to test indoor sports without physical contact. Vice Chancellor and Sports Minister Kogler has committed himself to the stage plan of the opening presented by sport. Now the opening steps must follow, "says Brunner, recording the result as the basis for future political decisions.