“Can you explain the offside rule in football?”

Head shaking in the National Council, incomprehension in the visitors’ gallery. SVP National Council member Alfred Heer (61, ZH) caused an offside scandal in the House of Representatives on Monday evening.

In fact, it was just a statement of support for the 2025 European Women’s Football Championship in Switzerland. But Heer used the discussion to attack Central National Councilor Elisabeth Schneider-Schneiter (58, BL), who campaigned for the occasion. “Can you explain the offside rule in football to us?” asked the Zurich FC Helvetia player and FCB supporter.

“Deserves a red card”

The SVP man himself came up with this question. “Actually, colleague Heer deserved the red card for his question about the offside rule to alderman Schneider-Schneiter”, warned SP Volksraadmember Flavia Wasserfallen (43, BE). And FDP national councilor Christian Wasserfallen (41, BE) thought that Heer himself “described the offside rule very well” with his question.

Meanwhile, Schneider-Schneiter referred him to the young football players in the stands, who were following the debate. “They can explain that to you and are certainly willing to do so.”

Reign anger over the lack of soccer fields

Said and done. A little later, the young girls – junior players from all over Switzerland – happened to meet Heer at the Bundeshaus restaurant, the Galerie des Alpes. “They were nice girls and we chatted about football,” Mr Blick reported the day after. His offside question was no longer an issue.

Anyway, it was just a joke, he flattens the ball. But he added that he had expressed his anger that parliament was talking about the Women’s European Championship when there were no football pitches in all of Switzerland. “Here we have to pull the trigger for the juniors,” said Heer. But of course he also supports the European Championship for women.

‘Army is and remains a macho’

Schneider-Schneiter is still puzzled by Heer’s behavior. “Of course you have to ask such questions in women’s football,” she says with a shrug. Ahead of the 2008 European Men’s Championship, the National Council also issued a statement of support – at the time at the suggestion of the SVP and without any scandal.

“The incident shows that equality has not yet penetrated some minds in parliament,” says the Basel bidder. “Heer is and remains a macho. He outplayed himself.”

In addition to the scandal, there was also good news about the most beautiful thing in the world: the declaration went smoothly in the National Council. Switzerland has everything it takes for the European Women’s Championship, so the tenor.