All is actually well with Union Berlin. The team can go into the home match against Wolfsburg with confidence. However, the decision by the club management to play the match under 3G conditions is causing a stir.
Two days before a match, 1. FC Union Berlin usually hold sporting, objective press conferences. Then the stage belongs to coach Urs Fischer, who, alongside club spokesman Christian Arbeit, is rarely ruffled by questions.
On this Thursday afternoon, however, Dirk Zingler joined him. When the president of the Eisernen wants to speak to the media on his own initiative, there is either something positive to report. Or there is something wrong. In this case, Zingler positioned himself behind one of the three standing desks for the latter reason.
For about 25 minutes of the 35-minute press conference, Zingler was the focus of attention. The logistics entrepreneur was not unaware that large sections of the fan base were rebelling. With a 2G rule, 22,012 spectators could theoretically have ensured a sold-out stadium at the Alte Försterei on Saturday (3.30 p.m.) for the home game against VfL Wolfsburg.
Union does not get through with urgent application
But Union opted for a 3G solution so that tested spectators could also witness the attempt to beat Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga for the first time. With a then maximum 50 per cent capacity, only 11,000 visitors are possible. This upsets many vaccinated and recovering supporters, even though Union wanted to force 18,000 visitors on Tuesday with an emergency application to the administrative court.
However, the Administrative Court rejected the application on Thursday evening. “1. FC Union has no claim to the staging of the Bundesliga football match at the An der Alten Försterei stadium on 16 October 2021 with at least 18,000 spectators present at the same time,” the administrative court announced.
For the 2G supporters among the supporters, who are clearly in the majority, Union’s insistence on 3G is already such a nuisance. Zingler appealed for understanding. “I am vaccinated. My family is vaccinated. A high number of people at the club are vaccinated. But the question is how we deal with the people who don’t get vaccinated. That’s where the discourse in society diverges,” Zingler explained. “We decided that we don’t want to create a barely surmountable hurdle for non-vaccinated people to still attend the game at the Alte Försterei. That’s why we are in favour of 3G.”
Zingler obviously wants to get the unvaccinated to rethink by making offers. He does not want to exclude them. For example, a vaccination bus will be on hand for the match on Saturday. However, Zingler is not making many friends with the vaccinated. They want their old lives back, in which the Union also plays a major role.
“We have decided that we don’t want to create an insurmountable hurdle for the non-vaccinated to take part in the game at the Alte Försterei. That’s why we’re in favour of 3G. “
DIRK ZINGLER
No member vote
There will be no member vote. Zingler rejects that. Instead, he expects clearer regulations from Berlin’s politicians that are adapted to the times. In other federal states, he says, these have already existed. “Of course, we will not bring about a members’ referendum. We are the elected representatives of the members. We also have to decide in more difficult situations,” said Zingler. “The situation is not that difficult. You have to stand by your values. You have to go your way. We demand that there are clear rules from the state. Then we will follow those rules.”
For now, the rule is a maximum of 11,000 visitors with a 3G regulation. For Dirk Zingler it was not a good day. He was nevertheless optimistic. “We accept the decision of the administrative court. In view of the reasons for the judgement, which clearly states several times that the court considers the pandemic containment measures to be ‘still reasonable’ and the assessments on which they are based to be ‘not yet manifestly mistaken’, we are optimistic that the Berlin Senate will also soon adopt more far-reaching regulations,” explained Zingler.
“We will therefore refrain from going to the Higher Administrative Court and will again apply for higher utilisation under 3G conditions for our next matches at the stadium An der Alten Försterei and the Olympiastadion. “
