No real concessions: Following the resolution text from the Conference of Interior Ministers, the umbrella organization for fan support groups accuses politicians of playing a double game. What lies behind the criticism.
Organized soccer fans in Germany have reacted with disappointment to the resolution text from the Conference of Interior Ministers (IMK). “As if the clear public opposition of the past few weeks had never happened, the interior ministers are unwaveringly continuing their course against all fans and the diverse fan culture,” said Linda Röttig, a member of the executive board of the umbrella organization for fan support groups. “Although even the police’s own figures clearly show that stadiums are safe places, the artificial debate created by the IMK itself is being pursued.”
The “smooth-sounding words of the past few days, which had held out the prospect of a dialogue with the fans,” are not to be found in the resolution text now published. “A clear sign that this was obviously just an attempt to reassure the public and that there are no serious intentions behind it,” said Röttig.
Röttig from the umbrella organization of fan support groups: “Clubs are called upon to act” The text is “a defiant reaction put into words, lacking insight or a grasp of reality. The complete lack of transparency will continue unchanged, as all documents remain under lock and key.”
After weeks of nationwide protests, the results of last week’s conference had initially been well-received by the organized fan community. No decisions were made on most of the contentious issues—neither on personalized tickets nor on comprehensive ID checks, facial recognition, or AI surveillance.
“The clubs are now called upon to follow up their clear words of the past weeks with clear actions,” said Röttig. In the weeks leading up to the conference of interior ministers, the German Football Association (DFB) and the German Football League (DFL) had worked behind the scenes to defuse the most extreme demands from politicians regarding stadium security.