Frank Bohmann, Managing Director of the Handball Bundesliga (HBL), speaks at a press conference. Photo: picture alliance / Daniel Reinhardt/dpa. (Source: dpa)
Bratislava (dpa) – The Handball Bundesliga (HBL) looks with great concern at the Corona outbreak in the German national team.
“I don’t want to say that this is the worst possible accident. But of course it’s difficult,” said HBL Managing Director Frank Bohmann of the German Press Agency.
Seven German players have now tested positive for Corona at the European Championships in the team hotel in Bratislava. Although the source of the infection is unclear, national coach Alfred Gislason reacted promptly and nominated five Bundesliga professionals around goalkeeper veteran Johannes Bitter on Monday evening for the final preliminary round game on Tuesday (6 p.m. / ZDF) against Poland. Bohmann views the subsequent nominations with skepticism.
“There may be other corona cases in the team. It remains to be seen whether it makes sense to continue to nominate,” said Bohmann. “You have to be very careful and not say I’m making it much worse than it is. If there are any more outbreaks, then we have a new situation.”
This Tuesday, the entire DHB delegation should complete another PCR test. Why the German team is so badly affected is a mystery to the DHB. Bohmann does not want to blame either the DHB or the European association EHF, the league boss sees an explanation in the highly contagious omicron variant.
“The infectiousness is incomparably higher than in the past. I don’t presume to say whether this is due to the hygiene concept of the tournament – or is every hygiene concept overwhelmed by this infectiousness?” said the 57-year-old. “You will have to evaluate afterwards whether it was right to leave the concept so open.”
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