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Cologne (dpa) - Bundesliga managing director Frank Bohmann took a deep breath at the HBL headquarters in Cologne - and the clubs were also relieved after the German handball players returned from the Corona World Cup in Egypt.

«The first goal was for all players to come home healthy.

That was a bit in question in between when Cape Verde had to withdraw its team, ”said Bohmann of the German press agency.

«I had serious concerns about whether the tournament could be played to the end.

Fortunately, that did not come true. "

After four German national players were infected with the corona virus in the European Championship qualification in November, concern in the entire industry was great before the finals in Egypt with 32 teams for the first time.

Erlangen's supervisory board chairman, Carsten Bissel, had spoken of "madness", even described the World Cup bubble as a "joke" and feared a catastrophe.

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So far this has not happened - and in Bohmann's opinion it will no longer exist.

“You may not be immune to further infections, but the danger was much greater when all the teams traveled there.

The risk of something happening now is much lower than at the start of the World Cup, ”he said before the quarter-finals.

There the league was still represented by a number of professionals - especially from Scandinavia - on Wednesday evening, despite the early failure of the DHB selection.

"I don't want to rule out one or the other corona problem after my return," said Bohmann.

"But it has been shown that the system has worked so far at the World Cup in Egypt."

Those responsible in the clubs see it similarly.

“A bubble is a theoretical construct, so there is always a risk.

But we are confident that everything will turn out well and that we can continue with the Bundesliga as planned, ”said Magdeburg's managing director Marc-Henrik Schmedt in a dpa survey.

"The test intervals on site are very tight."

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His colleague from Flensburg, Dierk Schmäschke, was also confident.

"So far we have got away with a black eye," said the managing director of the German runner-up.

“I'm pretty optimistic that it will stay that way.

I have to be, because further corona cases would lead to further postponements and tighten the deadline considerably. "

A break in the season as in the previous year would have serious economic effects on the clubs, whose leaders live in constant unrest in view of the ongoing tense pandemic situation.

"You have to be very clear: If several games had to be postponed, we would very soon get into the realm of what is no longer possible," said Viktor Szilagyi, managing director of the German record champions THW Kiel.

Bohmann knows that too.

«First and foremost, it is about the health of the players.

Because the virus should not be underestimated, even for young competitive athletes, "said the 56-year-old.

“But of course we were also concerned about possible effects on the Bundesliga.

The schedule will remain extremely tense in the coming months. "

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Only a few days after the World Cup final, the Rhein-Neckar Löwen and the Füchse Berlin have to play in the European League again.

48 hours after that, Kiel and Flensburg continue their schedule in the Champions League before a full league game day is due.

"That remains a difficult undertaking, not only in Germany," said Bohmann about the full calendar.

"We don't know today whether it will all go like this."

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210127-99-186581 / 2

World Cup schedule

Schedule handball Bundesliga