EPL could face a year of virus restrictions
MANCHESTER: The Premier League has been told by government experts that coronavirus restrictions could endure for at least a year across English football, with players allowed to resume only non-contact training from Tuesday. England’s top division has been studying how the Bundesliga was able to resume competition at the weekend while being realistic about missing its aspiration of getting back underway by June 12.
“We have to be flexible about it,” Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said Monday. “The Germans are a couple of steps ahead of us and we can learn from them.” Team executives will hold talks next Tuesday to discuss protocols for allowing players to take part in contact training, but it is dependent on government approval and there being no new spike in cases after easing of lockdown restrictions.
“(Once) we have had a proper discussion with clubs about how much is required to create the fitness levels before they can start playing, we are then in a position to be able to confirm when the season start is,” Masters said.
The 20 clubs on Monday agreed to protocols for small groups of players to train while maintaining social distancing that exists in wider society.
On Tuesday, six people from three clubs tested positive for COVID-19 out of a total of 748 players and staff who were tested for the disease, the Premier League said. “Players or club staff who have tested positive will now self-isolate for a period of seven days,” the league said.