German football team lose 37-0 practising social distancing during match
SG Ripdorf/Molzen II put up no fight after Holdenstedt players had been in contact with an opponent infected with Covid-19 in a previous match
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.German amateur side SG Ripdorf/Molzen II sacrificed a tight defence for social distancing as they fielded only seven players as a coronavirus precaution in a 37-0 loss to local rivals SV Holdenstedt II.
The preparations for Sunday’s match in Lower Saxony’s 3. Kreisklasse – the 11th tier of German football – were complicated when it emerged that Holdenstedt players had been in contact with an opponent infected with Covid-19 in a previous match.
While all members of the Holdenstedt squad later tested negative for the virus, Ripdorf, from Uelzen in Lower Saxony, did not feel the conditions were safe and were able to field only seven players – the minimum number required for a match.
“We are thankful those seven players volunteered, otherwise the club would have faced a 200-euro fine for abandoning the match,” Ripdorf co-chair Patrick Ristow told ESPN. “That’s a lot of money for us, especially amid the pandemic.”
Holdenstedt showed no mercy and scored a goal nearly every two minutes, while their opponents watched on from a safe distance.
“When the game kicked off, one of our players passed the ball to the opponent and our team walked to the sidelines,” Ristow said.
“The Holdenstedt players did not understand. But we did not want to risk anything. For the rest of the match, our players returned to the field but they only stood on the pitch.”
Reuters
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments