(From left) Reporters Michael Kenneweg, Jens Romeiser and Jens Heinrich bring the Eintracht Frankfurt vs Borussia Dortmund game alive for fans who are partially sighted. Photos: dpa
"Striker Muani moves into the centre, passes to Kamada with his right foot. The midfielder can shoot – and scores! From 18m, with his right foot, it's 1-1!"
Jens Henrich releases the enormous excitement he feels straight into the microphone as he describes the moment when German football team Eintracht Frankfurt equalises against Dortmund.
Visually impaired fans following the game from Block 27 E and F cheer wildly from the stands. They cannot see the goal but are elated by the reporter's detailed description on their headphones.
Meanwhile sitting behind Henrich are Jens Romeiser and Michael Kenneweg, who are also beside themselves with joy. Together, they make up Eintracht Frankfurt football club's visually impaired reporting team and convey each and every moment of the Bundesliga home game against Borussia Dortmund.
Unlike radio or television commentators, they describe the action on the field in far greater detail. "We lend the fans our eyes," says Kenneweg. "That's why we don't say we are commentating, we are reporting."
As Eintracht Frankfurt plays against Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga, partially sighted fans and their friends are following the action thanks to specially trained reporters.
It is highly intense, so they pass their microphone on to each other every 15 minutes. "In between, we need to catch our breath and have a drink, as fast as we have to speak," says Henrich.
Their voices, all their emotion and their choice of words and intonation add up to create images of the game for fans who are visually impaired and experience the game by hearing about the action.
"We try to describe to the fans as precisely as possible what we are seeing," says Romeiser, 46. He has been reporting the Eintracht games for 12 years. He is a civil servant, on weekdays.
Many other clubs in Germany have similar reporting services, done on a voluntary basis, he says. "In the end, we are all reporting mainly for the fans and then for the club."
At Eintracht, however, all reporters are now employed on a temporary basis, though this was a long time coming. "We had to work for it for years," recalls Romeiser.
Jens Heinrich is a specially trained commentator and, ahead of the game, he looks through binoculars at the players on the bench, to be ready to describe all the details to the partially sighted among the spectators.
Guest fans are also welcome in Block 27 E and F. During the match, the reporters stand in the middle of the two blocks, so they have the best view of the field. "You can listen to our commentary from every corner of the stadium, but most people enjoy the atmosphere standing together here in the block," says Romeiser.
There are no additional screens for a better view, simply binoculars and a magnetic board. Before kick-off, the reporters place the players on the board according to the line-up of each team. "You know your own team well, of course. It's difficult with the opponents," says Romeiser.
"We often take our cue from special features such as unusually colourful shoes or back numbers," says Kenneweg. Such details are important.
Often, fans who are visually impaired or blind know what red jerseys or yellow shoes look like. "Not everyone is born blind."
The more accurately you describe the game, the better you can make the game experience for fans, the reporter says.
Reporters for the visually impaired receive regular training. At classes offered by the German Football League (DFL), they meet once a year to further improve and develop. "We learn how to speak clearly and correctly. With the high tempo of the game, you really have to have it down," Romeiser says. There is no animosity with the other clubs. "At the end of the day, it's all about the good cause."
The DFL says it works closely with the clubs when it comes to reports for the visually impaired and welcomes the fact that the issue is gaining attention and importance.
"Audio-descriptive reportage is now offered at all Bundesliga and 2nd Bundesliga venues, and at many clubs it is also streamed live online," says Thomas Schneider, head of the DFL's fan affairs department.
One of the fans present in Frankfurt is Aribert Pohl, 67, and a loyal Eintracht follower for 50 years. He attends every home game and is a member of the Blind and Visually Impaired Association in the state of Hesse (BSBH). "Here in the block, we are all like a family. We also get on wonderfully with the visiting fans," says Pohl, who also heads the BSBH district group in Frankfurt. The association represents the interests of blind and visually impaired people, with around 1,700 members in the state.
A young visually impaired fan also regularly comes to the stadium with a blind friend. "The guys do a super job, we are so grateful to them for that," he says of the reporters' work.
The fans also benefit from a special stadium service: The Bundesliga club offers a pick-up service from home for people with visual impairments.
Romeiser and his team meanwhile have to be careful not to make the other team's game sound less interesting. "Sometimes it's difficult. As a reporter, you feel for the fans in the stadium," says Kenneweg. – dpa/Serhat Kocak
