The German Football Association (DFB) expects far-reaching consequences after the Federal Constitutional Court’s ruling on police costs for high-risk games.
The association valued the conduct of major sports events in the context of the ruling as a fundamental competitive disadvantage for the football location in Germany, the DFB said on Tuesday. Moreover, it meant no gain in additional security.
The contribution the football made to social cohesion could not be offset financially. For many clubs, especially in the 3rd division and regional leagues, such fee notices could be existential and, due to the economic impact, could also massively intervene in the competition. This had to be prevented from the DFB’s perspective.
The DFB, DFL, and clubs had invested in prevention and security measures “to a significant extent” over many years. They had assumed and guaranteed the safety in the stadiums on their own account with their own measures and order forces “comprehensively” already today. It was not right, the DFB said, that the football should now have to bear the additional costs for security in the public space, over which it had no influence.
The association would continue to discuss possibilities with representatives of politics and the relevant authorities on how to maintain the security level in the stadiums while possibly reducing police deployment hours.