Recruitment via KakaoTalk Chatrooms
10-15 Minute Lessons Followed by Matches
Certified Coaches Also Involved to Avoid Crackdowns
Only Businesses Following Quarantine Rules Suffer Losses
[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] 'Looking for people to exercise after lessons.'
An indoor futsal court in Incheon is recruiting participants for futsal games through a Naver Cafe and KakaoTalk chat rooms. By paying 8,000 KRW per person, participants can play matches with others recruited at the futsal court.
To prevent the spread of COVID-19, health authorities have implemented restrictions on private gatherings for sports games such as futsal and baseball. Since futsal games typically require 5 vs. 5 or 6 vs. 6 players, a minimum of 10 people is needed to proceed with a match. However, some regions are operating with loopholes.
The ‘lesson purpose match’ that was popular during the ban on private gatherings of five or more people earlier this year is reappearing. One participant acts as a lesson instructor and conducts a formal lesson for about 10 to 15 minutes, after which a regular futsal game takes place.
To avoid crackdowns, some participants with actual coaching certificates join the futsal games. Since most futsal courts run youth soccer classes, involving certified coaches is not a difficult issue. Even the formal lessons are not properly conducted.
After a brief explanation from a futsal court official, teams are immediately divided and the game begins. Participants are told, "We are currently having a lesson," and are informed on how to respond if local government authorities conduct inspections.
Other futsal courts, which are suffering losses of hundreds of millions of KRW while complying with quarantine guidelines, feel frustrated. An operator of a futsal court in Goyang City said, "Although some parts of the government’s quarantine guidelines are one-sided and hard to understand, we are bearing the losses for the greater good of preventing COVID-19 spread," adding, "If someone uses loopholes and causes an infection, it could harm the entire industry, so it’s infuriating to see people acting only for their own benefit."
The futsal industry is showing signs of collective action if operational restrictions continue after the government announces quarantine rules on the 8th, when the decision on extending social distancing will be made. The National Futsal Court Association also held protests in February demanding improvements to quarantine guidelines.
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