Merkel gives go-ahead for Bundesliga to resume soccer matches in mid-May

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and state leaders give the Bundesliga the green light to restart soccer matches behind closed doors from mid-May after weeks of shutdown imposed to control the spread of the coronavirus.

The political blessing makes the German top-flight the first of Europe’s five major leagues to return to the field.

“Matches will be allowed under the approved rules,” Merkel says at a press conference in Berlin, referring to a plan by the German Football League (DFL) for the Bundesliga to resume in empty stadiums and with players regularly tested.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel gestures as she attends a press conference together with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz after a discussion in Berlin, Germany, Monday, February 3, 2020. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer)

Permission was granted on condition that strict guidelines are followed — with a hygiene officer appointed to each team — to prevent contagion.

— with AFP

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