The energy crisis threatens sport in Germany. The DOSB warns of the consequences for society, makes advance payments – and in return demands relief and a say.
300 euros for pensioners, 200 euros for students, heating cost increases, more child benefit, a successor to the nine-euro ticket – but sport is left empty-handed in the federal government’s 65 billion euro relief package. again. Clubs fear greater hardship from the energy crisis than in the wake of the corona pandemic – the umbrella organization is “disappointed”.
“It is unacceptable for politicians to repeat the mistakes of the corona pandemic and underestimate the importance of sport for society,” said DOSB CEO Torsten Burmester on Tuesday: “Our sports clubs need noticeable financial relief.”
DOSB with step-by-step plan
Because: “Organized sport, with its 90,000 sports clubs and 27 million memberships, can develop tremendous power, including when it comes to saving energy. But this power is finite.” Especially when swimming pools and sports facilities are closed. Therefore, the German Olympic Sports Confederation wants to go ahead with a “gradual plan”, but in return for having a say “in all necessary decisions”.
Save 20 percent to avoid lockdown
“Organized sport is making its contribution in this difficult situation and is once again assuming social responsibility,” said President Thomas Weikert. In order to prevent the worst, the clubs should save at least 20 percent energy, the German Football League (DFL) wants to help the professional clubs with at least 15 percent savings, because according to the DOSB, the consequences of another lockdown would be dramatic.
Clubs: Reserves are exhausted
“Sport and exercise make a decisive contribution to physical and mental well-being, sport brings people together and ensures social cohesion,” said Weikert. That could be in danger if the clubs have to increase their contributions because of the rising energy costs and resignations are probably unavoidable. After more than two years of the corona pandemic, “the reserves have been used up, many clubs will hardly be able to cope with the exploding energy costs,” warned Burmester.
Gyms are losing members
In addition, private fitness studios are also under pressure. “During the pandemic, the fitness and health studios lost an average of 20 to 25 percent of the members. There is a risk that it will now be significantly more. We feel new existential needs,” said Prof. Dr. Theodor Stemper, Chairman of the Federal Association of Health Studios Germany eV, the SID.
Organized sport was heard by the sports ministers of the federal states. They called for sports facilities and swimming pools to be kept open for as long as possible and for the operators of sports facilities – municipalities and sports clubs – to be taken into account when creating aid. The federal government has provided 476 million euros for the renovation of municipal facilities.
Refurbishing sports facilities is expensive
There are around 230,000 sports facilities in Germany, including 36,000 sports halls, 3,000 indoor tennis courts, 9,340 swimming pools, 8,000 shooting ranges and 60,000 club houses or functional buildings. Two thirds of them are in municipal hands – and often outdated. The need for renovation was huge even before the energy crisis, now time is pressing more than ever.
The DOSB therefore encourages its members not only to “change usage behavior” (lower temperatures, among other things) but also to convert the sports facilities in the short and long term. But the costs. Smart heating, LED lighting technology, new sanitary facilities or better insulation promise urgently needed savings, but must be promoted.
The German Football League had previously recommended that the clubs in the Bundesliga and the second division set an individual energy saving target of 15 to 20 percent for the current season.
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Hamburg Journal | 06.09.2022 | 19:30 o’clock
