MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) – Bayern Munich support the vaccination of their players as protection against Covid-19, but it is not mandatory, the club said amid the furor over Joshua Kimmich’s announcement that he is not vaccinated.
On Saturday, the German player said he had not been immunized because of fears of the vaccine’s long-term effects, but said he could do so in the future.
The gesture sparked an instant storm of criticism across Germany, and many argue that football players need to set good examples.
The German Football League (DFL) said on Tuesday that more than 90% of players and employees in Germany’s two main divisions are vaccinated.
“It’s important to say that we can only advise someone to get vaccinated,” Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn told reporters on Monday night. “We emphasize this through several actions.”
“In the end, you have to respect that others may have a different opinion.”
Critics say Kimmich’s stance on vaccination also clashes with his actions as a co-founder of the organization #Wekickcorona, which financially supports charities and welfare organizations during the pandemic.
“Bayern supports vaccination actions in a sustainable way,” said its president, Herbert Hainer. “But in the end there is no obligation to vaccinate with us. It is an individual decision.”
(By Karolos Grohmann)
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