Tonight the cabinet held a press conference about the corona measures – Photo: KNVB Media
Tonight the cabinet announced new corona measures. Below is the response from the KNVB to this:
We see opening up sports to everyone as a justified decision by the new cabinet. Sport stimulates health and mental and physical resistance, which is much needed during a pandemic.
Everyone can play soccer and train normally at their own club from tomorrow. But the next step should be the resumption of competitions in late January or early February. We are committed to that, because playing matches remains the most important incentive for the 1.2 million amateur football players in the Netherlands to continue training. We will further map out the scenarios for the continuation of the competitions and come back to this after the cabinet’s next measurement moment. This is now scheduled for January 25.
The cabinet’s next step should also be to allow spectators along the line and in the stadiums again. That perspective is now missing, while financially the stretch is completely gone at the clubs. Football has been played in front of empty stands for two months and it cannot go on like this. There are no arguments not to open the stadiums in a controlled manner. According to information from the GGD, there are no infections in the stands of professional football. This is logical, because all visitors are checked at the gate (it is best to check at professional sports competitions, according to research by I&O Research) and afterwards they are also in the open air. Travel movements are minimal as at many clubs 80% of the visitors live less than 5 km away. Extensive (field labs) studies have shown that stadium visits with precautions in corona time are safe and responsible.
This also applies to the European Indoor Football Championship, which takes place from January 19 to February 6 in Amsterdam and Groningen. The KNVB has brought this international event to the Netherlands so that new target groups come into contact with this branch of sport and they are inspired to get involved themselves. Fortunately, the matches can be followed online and on TV, but it would be better advertising at home and abroad if the semi-finals and final take place in a full Ziggodome.
