Uwe Seeler wants to go to the stadium – and the authorities row back with a fan ban

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Jeff Horseman
Jeff Horseman
Jeff Horseman got into journalism because he liked to write and stunk at math. He grew up in Vermont and he honed his interviewing skills as a supermarket cashier by asking Bernie Sanders “Paper or plastic?” After graduating from Syracuse University in 1999, Jeff began his journalistic odyssey at The Watertown Daily Times in upstate New York, where he impressed then-U.S. Senate candidate Hillary Clinton so much she called him “John” at the end of an interview. From there, he went to Annapolis, Maryland, where he covered city, county and state government at The Capital newspaper. Today, Jeff writes about anything and everything. Along the way, Jeff has covered wildfires, a tropical storm, 9/11 and the Dec. 2 terror attack in San Bernardino. If you have a question or story idea about politics or the inner workings of government, please let Jeff know. He’ll do his best to answer, even if it involves a little math.

Bundesliga Start
Victory for Seeler: HSV idol rumbles against stadium ban – and the authorities row back

HSV legend Uwe Seeler

“This is total nonsense”: HSV legend Uwe Seeler scolds the threat of a fan ban in stadiums

© Ina Fassbender / DPA

Uwe Seeler is successful with his complaint. After the intervention of the HSV icon living in Schleswig-Holstein, the requirement is collected that only football fans with their first residence in Hamburg are allowed to attend the first home game against Dresden.

HSV idol Uwe Seeler has had success with his appeal and prevented an impending stadium ban in the first second league home game of his Hamburger SV in the new football season. As the responsible district office Hamburg-Altona announced on Monday afternoon, the corona edition announced last Friday, according to which only spectators with first residence in Hamburg come to the Volksparkstadion for the second league match against Dynamo Dresden on 1 August, will be canceled. “We have discussed the situation with the competent authorities in detail and have come to this conclusion,” confirmed Mike Schlink, the press spokesman of the district office Altona.

Home fans may come-guest fans not

17,100 Fans had been admitted by the authorities for the match against Dresden. Now applies: Home fans may come, guest fans are still not allowed. This also clears the way for HSV icon Seeler, who lives in Schleswig-Holstein on the edge of the Hanseatic city. “This is total nonsense and nonsense. I really want to go to the stadium. I am vaccinated and will keep my distance. This is a very strange decision, “the 84-year-old had told the”Bild” newspaper. “I live just a few kilometers from the stadium. I think that some fans in the Hamburg area have another journey. The authorities should reconsider this decision, ” demanded the Seeler, who is based in Norderstedt.

And was heard. The HSV had also considered objecting to these requirements, but now no longer has to take action. “We cannot and do not want to accept that. Our city limits are less than four kilometers away from the Volksparkstadion and our followers come to a large extent from the neighboring federal states,” explained HSV Board member Frank Wettstein. “We also do not see any additional benefits in terms of pandemic control due to the contact tracking with personalized tickets and many other protective measures that are required anyway.”

Decision in favor of the fans

Before the U-turn, the Hamburg Interior Authority had made it clear that the corona requirement had been imposed by the competent health authority. “In the end, we only grant approval,” it continued. The authority led by Interior and sports Senator Andy Grote (SPD) was in close contact with the responsible offices until the end to clarify whether there was still room for manoeuvre. Now the decision was made in favor of the fans. The responsible authorities and the clubs had already agreed in the previous week that HSV and city rivals FC St. Pauli can play their home games at the start of the season with a stadium capacity of 30 percent.

les
DPA

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