Status: 02.07.2021 11:05 a.m.
A high incidence, around 100 deaths a day – despite the alarming corona numbers, tens of thousands of fans are once again admitted to the EM game in St. Petersburg. Some residents are concerned, but the mayor weighs it down.
By Stephan Laack, ARD Studio Moscow,
currently in Cologne
The criticism of the European football championship as a pandemic driver is growing. High numbers of infections and full stages – that is absolute madness, warn experts and more and more politicians. Most of the games take place in the cities of London and St. Petersburg, of all places, where the incidence values are particularly high.
In the Russian metropolis on the Baltic Sea, the situation is particularly acute. More than a hundred people die of Corona every day there – yesterday there were a good 1,600 new infections. More than 300 Finnish fans were infected in the vicinity of the Finland versus Belgium game. But UEFA did not feel compelled to reconsider the venue. And Russian President Vladimir Putin is pushing responsibility far from himself.
“As far as the European Football Championship is concerned, of course we first had to fulfill the obligations that the state had taken on to organize these major sporting events,” said Putin.
New fan zone is opened
So far, the city of St. Petersburg has taken few measures to restrict contacts. For example, the number of visitors to the fan zones was reduced from 5,000 to 3,000. Clubs, bars and restaurants only have to close between two and six at night. That didn’t detract from the festive mood in the city. Just in time for the quarter-finals, a new fan zone will even open in front of the Hermitage.
Most people do not realize the seriousness of the situation, says Dmitrij, who lives in St. Petersburg and is worried. “Of course, the EM has an impact on the situation. The new corona strains will be spread as a result,” he says. “But the people in the city are carefree: No masks or protective equipment are worn and even hygiene standards are neglected.”
“There were only 5000 fans”
Germany has classified Russia as a virus variant area – the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant is 90 percent. But St. Petersburg’s mayor Alexander Beglow downplayed the danger posed by the games just a few days ago.
“There were only 5,000 fans, that’s not that big a number. Maybe a little more. But the rule is: You have to present a test at the airport,” said Beglow. “As for the fan zone – there are also requirements. But this is a good event. If all our events were held in such strict compliance with the rules, we would be living under normal conditions today.”
Swiss worry about returnees
For the quarter-finals between Switzerland and Spain in St. Petersburg, a stadium load of 50 percent is again permitted, which corresponds to around 30,000 visitors. The Swiss embassy in Moscow expects 600 to 700 fans to accompany their team. A similar number probably come from Spain. In Switzerland there are fears that fans might bring the Delta version home with them.
Russia’s General Director of the European Championship Committee, Alexey Sorokin, has some understanding for such concerns, but is happy about all foreign fans who come anyway. “We are grateful to them for the loyalty to their teams. For the fact that they want to support their team on site and they come to another country for it. It seems to us that we have done everything to ensure such a celebration,” said he.
Sorokin was also satisfied with the way the European Championship was held in St. Petersburg and noted, not without pride, that there were only more games in London.
Tougher corona measures, as demanded by experts, can now be imposed after the EM at the earliest. The quarter-finals are the last game of this tournament in St. Petersburg.