This archive report was first published on 17 May 2020.
On May 17, 2020, the German Bundesliga resumed play after a two-month break due to the coronavirus pandemic, with clubs adhering to strict hygiene guidelines approved by the German government.
However, some players ignored the guidelines, including Hertha Berlin's Dedryck Boyata, who appeared to kiss his teammate Marko Grujic on the cheek during a 3-0 win against Hoffenheim.
Boyata later apologized for the incident, stating that he was simply giving Grujic instructions about a set piece, and not kissing him.
"I apologize for putting my hands on (Grujic's) face," Boyata wrote on Instagram. "It wasn't a kiss or a celebration when I grabbed the Serbia midfielder. I was giving him instructions about a set piece."
Belgian international Boyata, 29, emphasized the importance of adhering to the guidelines, saying, "We must definitely be careful now that we play under this situation. We have to adapt our way to play or celebrate."
Earlier this month, Hertha had suspended ex-Chelsea forward Salomon Kalou for posting a video of him shaking hands with team-mates in the dressing room before training.
Senior German politician Markus Soeder criticized players for breaching the league's hygiene protocol, saying, "Football has an extreme function to be a role model, so we should stick to our instructions and pay attention to it next week."
Soeder also expressed his expectation that the league would "tighten up" instructions on how to celebrate goals after some players hugged with team-mates.
