German authorities have maintained the ban on spectators in sports venues until at least the end of October, knocking back the request of the Bundesliga for an exemption, reports, www.sportspromedia.com/.

The German Football League (DFL) had hoped authorities would accept an updated proposal to allow Bundesliga fans into stadiums again under certain conditions.

But the health ministers of Germany's federal and 16 state governments rejected the proposal, pointing to rising numbers of coronavirus infections.

'In particular, local health authorities are currently focused on contact tracing, the school start and the return of holidays travellers,' the health ministry of the state of Berlin said in a statement.