The fact that Bremen have been promoted after the Covid protection measures were mainly (but not entirely) suspended has caused problems for the club.
If Bremen had stayed in the 2nd league, then (at least that’s what the Deichstube article suggests, I haven’t seen the actual numbers) Bremen would probably have avoided the penalty.
That’s what I meant by saying that it’s also about looking at what exactly happened, why it happened, and what the next six months will look like.
If, for example, Bremen can present the current figures to the DFL (on the 1st of each month, for example), then the DFL could determine whether the club is on the green branch or whether it is still working sloppily.
Finally, the question is what the purpose of the rule is. If it’s simply a matter of penalizing clubs when things don’t go according to plan, then the rule is certainly applied correctly. But when it comes to clubs working sustainably and safely so that the DFL does not have to revoke their license in the next few years, then it would certainly be appropriate to exercise a little more tact.