Team sports Germany is calling for children and young people to resume team sports
The incidence rates, a key benchmark for the status of the corona pandemic, are currently falling continuously. Teamsport Germany therefore continues to vigorously participate in the political discussion about current and possible openings and calls for the resumption of team sports, especially for children and young people.
“Let our children and young people finally train and play together again!” appeals Andreas Michelmann, President of the German Handball Association and spokesman for the Teamsport Germany advocacy group, which, in addition to the DHB, also includes the German Basketball Association, the German Volley Association, Deutscher Eishockey-Bund and the German Football Association have joined forces. Michelmann: “Back in February, the Conference of Sports Ministers approved a step-by-step plan for a return to training and games. In view of our successful fight against the corona pandemic, this must now be implemented gradually. Our associations are ready for a responsible restart and have all developed coherent concepts for this. If there is a further standstill, there is a risk of consequential damage to society and health.”
The figures published by the Federal Statistical Office speak for themselves: 7,3 million girls and boys up to the age of 18 are still not allowed to train in their sports clubs. The age group of seven to under 15 years old makes up the largest proportion, with 70,5 percent of the total of around 5,9 million girls and boys being club members. The children and young people active in young talent sports form the backbone of sport in Germany. This is where the foundations for top sports careers and national teams are laid and exercise and health are promoted on a broad scale. Conversely, the non-existence of sport threatens the development of members and sports - the expected medium-term process of clubs and sports dying has already begun.
“We have to take the special features of team sports and elite team sports into account when developing our opening strategies,” emphasizes Michelmann. National squads are usually only formed around the age of 15; Talents are not only trained in a squad structure, but mainly in their home clubs. There must therefore be opportunities again in their club and team environment for children and young people who want to take part in competitive sports. In addition to creating the perspective of top-class sport, clubs have an impact on the personality development of young people: training and playing in team sports has educational aspects and maintains structures that are indispensable for social and central societal tasks.
“We appeal to the states to act uniformly and, above all, quickly for children’s and youth sports,” says Michelmann. The restart for Young Talent must be given priority and, if possible, without restrictions. The aim is to enable competition to resume in September; This requires a prompt start to training operations. Michelmann: “We are therefore asking states and municipalities to open the sports halls over the summer. Many children and young people will not be traveling this year, so we can renew and strengthen ties to clubs and sport through appropriate offers.”
For the restart, Teamsport Germany supports the recently launched petition and campaign “Outside must be inside” - initiated by the DFB and DOSB for amateur and popular sports. “For the sports grouped under team sports, we can see that the restart is a real perspective, especially in the open air,” says Michelmann. “We will find solidarity-based solutions for the increased use of uncovered sports facilities. However, the halls remain our home and we advocate for them to be opened as soon as possible, because contact sports in the hall must remain indoors in the future.
The restart of training and competition is also essential for popular sports. A core task will be the development of practical regulations for dealing with vaccinated and not yet vaccinated as well as recovered players in order to enable gaming operations to resume in the autumn. Michelmann: “We want everyone to be able to experience team sports again as quickly as possible – if necessary, also with the previously successful and tried-and-tested hygiene and testing concepts.”
You can also support the petition of the DFB and Sport Germany. Simply click here: https://www.dfb.de/petition/