CDA leader Wopke Hoekstra has apologised for skating a few rounds with world champion Sven Kramer at the Thialf stadium when others are not allowed to use the covered skating rink because of coronavirus restrictions.

Hoekstra shared a photo of himself and Kramer on Twitter which lead to surprise and anger among fellow politicians.

Sporten is ontzettend leuk en daarnaast heel gezond. Juist in deze tijd is het belangrijk dat we voldoende blijven bewegen.

Samen met @SvenKramer86 schaatste ik in het mooie #Thialf. #SamenSterkerDoorSport #CDA

🗞️https://t.co/NctKE4kh6I pic.twitter.com/TBPNHQrewO

— Wopke Hoekstra (@WBHoekstra) February 18, 2021

Caretaker sports minister Tamara van Ark was particularly critical of the move and said the minister had overstepped the mark. ‘This is really not done. Covered sports accommodations are closed to the public and this should not have happened.’

Hoekstra, who said the visit had been part of the CDA election campaign and that he had been discussing top-level sport, told reporters he understood why people had been upset. ‘I should never have put those skates on. I didn’t slip physically but slip up I did,’ he said when asked if he’d been ‘skating on thin ice’.

Hoekstra is not the only CDA politician to have breached coronavirus rules. Caretaker justice minister Ferd Grapperhaus was photographed embracing guests at his wedding party while caretaker defense minister Ank Bijleveld attended a crowded church service.