Cologne (dpa) – In the dispute over more spectators at Bundesliga games, 1. FC Cologne was unsuccessful before the Constitutional Court of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.
The constitutional judges refused to issue an injunction against the 10,000 spectator limit at football matches by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The decision was made by four to three votes, as stated in a statement in the evening without giving a reason. This is to be published at a later date (Ref.: VerfGH 20/22.VB-2).
A decision by the North Rhine-Westphalian Higher Administrative Court preceded the appeal to the Constitutional Court. In the early evening, the OVG rejected an urgent application from Cologne against the state’s Corona Protection Ordinance. FC wanted to ensure that not just 10,000 but 25,000 spectators were allowed into the arena for the upcoming game against Eintracht Frankfurt this Saturday. The OVG argued that the state’s decision to give the protection of the population in the corona pandemic a higher priority than the economic interests of the football clubs is understandable.
The federal and state governments decided on Wednesday that from March 4th, nationwide major events – which include Bundesliga games – may be held with up to 25,000 fans (with a maximum occupancy rate of 75 percent). From March 20th, all far-reaching protective measures against the corona virus are to be lifted.