The KNVB is dissatisfied with the slight relaxation announced on Monday evening by demi-visionary Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport Hugo de Jonge. Director of amateur football Jan Dirk van der Zee delivers in a short statement mainly criticism of the age restrictions that remain in force.
From 16 March, adults can again play sports together with a maximum of four people, as was announced at the press conference of Rutte and De Jonge. “We have seen through calculations that we have all gained millions of kilos,” said Rutte. “That’s why this little relaxation.” From 3 March, young people and young adults up to the age of 27 were allowed to exercise outside in a team. This only applies to training sessions and mutual competitions. The competitions are not yet resumed.
The KNVB would have preferred that adults could also train in larger groups. “The current age limit of the cabinet for sports together up to and including 26 years splits every amateur association and countless teams”, says Van der Zee on behalf of the KNVB. “That is unnecessary because football takes place safely in the open air. The current relaxation has therefore not helped us enough. We will continue to work to ensure that everyone can play football with his or her team again quickly.”
The caretaker cabinet has been cautiously relaxing the rules in recent weeks. Until March 3, only young people up to and including 17 years old were allowed to exercise outside together. Sports federations have previously called on the cabinet to allow young adults to exercise in groups or teams (outside) at their association as soon as possible. Fixed training groups and the social structures of associations are crucial for most Dutch people to continue to exercise and exercise regularly, they stated.