– I don’t know if everyone has understood, but German law actually makes it a bit difficult for him because it is not allowed to work after 11 pm when you are 16. That’s what news profiler Tete Lidbom said after Spain’s victory over Georgia in the round of 16 in the European Football Championship on Sunday. – So he has to rush out of the shower, because it smells like a fine to the Spanish federation every time Spain plays its last match, Lidbom continues. In Germany, people under the age of 18 are not actually allowed to work after 8 p.m., but an exception is made for athletes. According to German law, they are allowed to work three hours longer, but not longer than until 11 p.m. Stephan Gräf, a German lawyer at the University of Konstanz, confirms that the Spanish Football Association may have broken the law. – The law has been criticized in Germany, but it is still valid, says Gräf to news. Violation of the rules can lead to a fine of up to 30,000 Euros. The European football association Uefa has forwarded news to the Spanish Football Association, which has not responded to our inquiry. CELEBRATION: Yamal and teammate Nico Williams celebrated together after the 3-1 score last time against Georgia. Photo: Reuters Laughing at the rule Manchester City star Rodri scored the Spanish equalizing goal in the 4-1 victory against Georgia. He thinks the whole situation is comical. – It’s funny, considering that a boy of this age is good enough to play in the EC, says Rodri to news while grinning. SPANISH STAR: Rodri. Photo: Andreea Alexandru / AP – He is an incredible player. The maturity he already shows as a 16-year-old is incredible. He came close to scoring against Georgia. Hopefully he can score some goals against Germany, continued Rodri. At the press conference before the round of 16, news asked the Spanish coach Luis de la Fuente if there were any consequences for Yamal playing after 11pm in the match against Albania. – To be honest, I didn’t know about German labor laws. If we have to take him off the pitch on 23.02, we have to. No, I’m obviously kidding. He is here to play a game, to enjoy the job. We don’t think about anything else. It doesn’t mean anything to us, said la Fuente. Dani Olmo, who scored the last goal against Georgia, says the following to news about the possible infringement: – They said something about it at the press conference. But I don’t think that applies today, so there is no problem for us. TALK TO THE PRESS: Yamal in the press zone after the match. It was then well past 11 p.m. Photo: news The match on Sunday was finished before 11 p.m., but the regulations also apply to the athlete’s meeting with the media after the clock has struck. news has photo evidence that Yamal appeared in an interview after 11 p.m. He entered the bus at 23.55, according to news’s reporter on the spot. – Has the Spanish Football Association broken the law since they have let Yamal do an interview after 11pm in the evening? – That may be the case. Even without additional time, the limit of 11 p.m. becomes a problem, says Gräf. The lawyer points out that activities such as showering, team meetings and interviews are prohibited after the time. Basically, the bus ride home from the match is the only thing Yamal is allowed to participate in as part of the team after the time limit. A spokesperson for the German Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs wrote the following to news: “Employment of children and young people is regulated by a special law in Germany (Jugendarbeitsschutzgesetz), which protects young people against excessive work. The federal states and their health and safety authorities are responsible for the implementation and monitoring of the Act. It is up to these competent authorities to interpret the law and investigate the individual case.” Spain turned the game after Georgia’s shock opening. Thinks Spain will escape punishment Even if the authorities can issue fines for the breach of the law, they are still not obliged to do so, Gräf explains. – The authorities have so-called “discretion”. This means that they can refrain from giving a fine. In practice, this means that breaking the 11pm limit in the sports area will usually be tolerable. It is therefore unlikely that the authorities will intervene during the EC. Furthermore, he says that this rule is disputed among German lawyers. – It would be different if the association “persistently” broke the ban. Then the responsible doctors in the union would even be guilty of a criminal offence. Then the German public prosecutor would be responsible for implementing measures, and they would be obliged to do so. It is still disputed what the legal term “persistent” actually means. A mere repetition of the offense is not enough. – Do you think they got an exception to the law with Yamal as such a great football talent? – It would not actually be an exception to the law, if the authorities did not take action. They would only use the discretion that the law gives them – or the law’s “uncertainty”. NO EXCEPTIONS TO THE LAW: According to Gräf, Lamine Yamal, here during the match against Georgia, cannot get specific exceptions. Photo: AFP Gräf says that there is no talk of an exception specifically for Yamal. – As I said, it is because the German authorities have not yet taken action against clubs or federations in other cases within elite sports – with regard to possible working time violations, says Gräf and asserts: – In my opinion, the public prosecutor will not consider a “persistent” rule violation that fulfilled – even if Yamal several times worked after 23.00 during the EC. That is why I expect that the Spanish Football Association will not face any sanctions from this side either. – A maturity that is older than his age indicates Although the Spanish national team manager does not seem to worry about the working hours, he says that the 16-year-old receives close follow-up from the Spanish national team apparatus: – I talk to him a lot, every day. Naturally, he has to adjust his follow-up because he is so young. We treat him like all players on the team, but we have to pay extra attention to him because he is only 16 years old, says la Fuente. TALK TOGETHER A LOT: La Fuente is concerned that 16-year-old Yamal gets good follow-up during the championship. Photo: Reuters – On the field, he shows a maturity that is older than his age suggests. We try to help his development both as a footballer and as a person, continued the national team manager. Yamal proved that in the round of 16 against Georgia on Sunday. The 16-year-old was central to the 4–1 win, where he contributed with a goal-scoring pass and a canceled goal, among other things. See Yamal’s goal-scoring pass here: – One is struck dumb with admiration, that it is possible, said news’s football expert Carl-Erik Torp about Yamal’s behaviour. Olmo also pays tribute to his young teammate: – He plays fantastic football. He has shown it for the club team and we are delighted with his form. We hope he continues like this. On Friday, Spain will meet host nation Germany in the quarter-finals. – I think he and the rest of the team must be calm. We must not think too much about what Germany is doing and we must be ourselves. We have to show courage on Friday and show that we are here to win the EC. We hope to be better than them on their home ground, concludes Rodri. 4-1: Olmo celebrated in the rain after scoring the last goal in the match in the round of 16 on Sunday. Photo: Frank Augstein / AP Published 04.07.2024, at 05.51
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Claims the Spanish federation broke German law with the star shot Lamine Yamal – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
