Link to the story here (it’s paywalled). The Times quotes a senior politician within the ruling coalition as saying that there is agreement within government that the games “are doomed” and that Tokyo now hopes to get the 2032 games instead.
Apparently the global winter wave of Covid was the final straw, forcing a state of emergency in Japan’s major cities including Tokyo itself.
This will be the first time an Olympics has ever been cancelled in peacetime.
Erfurt-Münster very even, I don't think it's been more than a four-point game either way at any point during the first three sets. 2-1 to the visitors.
I haven't seen Sporttotal before, but (in Erfurt at least) it seems to have an robo camera, terrible sound and captions to say when the libero goes on/off
Better than nothing I guess...
btw I really like Luisa Keller
she just has such a great attitude and energy on the field.
Fwiw she also makes really good fruitcake. And team morale is important after all
Hindriksen doing plenty of talking at timeouts, don't be surprised to see her coaching in a few years
More info on the Schwerin Corona cases from NDR (regional broadcaster). Three players and two staff tested positive:
Nice interview with Lisa Thomsen about her first game as (acting) head coach
So many players are moving from Germany to France right now
The latest ones are Lemmens and Patockova. I wonder why that happens, are French clubs less cautious in terms of making contract offers in the current situation? It's not like France was struck less than Germany by the whole thing, so I don't see why French clubs would have more money (not for sure at least)...
I'm pretty sure the French clubs get a much bigger subsidy from regional governments, so are less dependent on sponsors. Right now that would make a big difference.
I always liked Montreux, it was a nice atmosphere and a good start into NT season, always a chance to discover new players etc. I hope it will resurrect at some point
Really sad indeed. It’s not too surprising given the scheduling issues (especially in Olympic years) and also the state of the gym... Its facilities aren’t the best, the ceiling is too low for the level of volleyball, and it was often unbearably hot in May/June.
BUT in its own way it was also magic... A nice start to the international season, a relaxed atmosphere (players and fans both loved it) and usually the chance to see the next generation (and for many players, their first international match). Oh and Montreux itself is a nice city. I will miss it a lot.
Well that was an exciting match!
You can notice the hall is full of Turks because Dutch people don't whistle towards the opponent.
Many, maybe most of them are Turkish-Dutch. Whole bunch of them walked past me earlier speaking Dutch to each other
Kind of surreal atmosphere in Apeldoorn, ok it’s a weekday and NL aren’t playing, but it’s really empty. Like watching a league match in London
Anyway, Germany are looking pretty good, I think...
Does anybody know a website where I can watch Sport1-stream tomorrow (Stuttgart-Aachen)?
Works fine for me from NL using NordVPN
NT roster is out (looks like there isn't a thread yet). Also, Lisa Thomsen will return as team manager.
| Name | Club | Caps |
| Lina Alsmeier | USC Munster | 0 |
| Nele Barber | VC Wiesbaden | 0 |
| Josepha Bock | VCO Berlin | 0 |
| Linda Bock | USC Munster | 0 |
| Kimberly Drewniok | SSC Palmberg Schwerin | 24 |
| Lenka Dürr | Red Ravens Vilsbiburg | 205 |
| Jennifer Geerties | SSC Palmberg Schwerin | 139 |
| Corina Glaab | Red Ravens Vilsbiburg | 0 |
| Lisa Gründing | LiB Aachen | 27 |
| Denise Hanke | SSC Palmberg Schwerin | 215 |
| Selma Hetmann | VC Wiesbaden | 0 |
| Annegret Hölzig | SC Potsdam | 7 |
| Denise Imoudu | LiB Aachen | 11 |
| Pia Kastner | Allianz MTV Stuttgart | 14 |
| Luisa Keller | USC Munster | 0 |
| Louisa Lippmann | Il Bisonte Firenze | 116 |
| Hanna Orthmann | ProVictoria Pallavolo Monza | 14 |
| Anna Pogany | SSC Palmberg Schwerin | 27 |
| Jana-Franziska Poll | Allianz MTV Stuttgart | 81 |
| Marie Schölzel | USC Munster | 58 |
| Leonie sword man | Red Ravens Vilsbiburg | 46 |
| Lena Stigrot | Dresdner SC | 72 |
| Celine Stohr | NawaRo Straubing | 0 |
| Camila Weitzel | Dresdner SC | 0 |
| Emilia Weske | SC Potsdam | 0 |
| Natalie Wilczek | SC Potsdam | 0 |
The problem is that "the loudest fans"/"the fans most active in Facebook comment sections" doesn't necessarily equal "the most fans".
I don't have a view on Dresden, but this is a common problem in research Anyway I'd love to do a regular fans poll (I work in polling) but might have to ask you guys for question ideas
Münster really had their porridge this morning...
If anyone wants to see the second leg of Münster vs Paris, it’s being livestreamed here:
Not strictly Bundesliga, but Münster is hosting Paris St Cloud for two friendlies at the weekend. I don't yet have any info on teams.
Vilsbiburg vs Münster sounds like it will have some seriously depleted teams... Lisa Thomsen now out with a cold, so Münster three down, Vilsbiburg six down including one on international duty.
Looks like the stream of Münster-Stuttgart is not working, first it said "file could not be loaded" and now it's completely gone
IMO VBL made a big mistake with changing the broadcaster. Sportdeutschland streams had better quality and were more reliable overall I think.
Hope you got to see it in the end... I was there and IMO the gap between the teams (except perhaps in the third set) was less than a 3-0 would suggest. Münster's level held up well considering they lost their two WCH players. Mersmann was pretty impressive, I thought.
