League outlines target to return in August
THE North East Football League say they hope to start their 2020 season in early to mid-August, after examining the details in the Government’s roadmap for a return to group sport unveiled last week.
All clubs who were due to start their campaigns in March, just as the Covid-19 outbreak took hold, are being asked to re-declare their position - but only after surveying and advising their membership about the clear guidelines that have been outlined in relation to the coronavirus.
The league say: ‘It is very important to state to each one the return to action is not mandatory, but voluntarily on the part of each person wanting to participate, and such declared participation on the part of each one shall be on the understanding, and acceptance, while every effort will be made to apply precautionary measures based on Government guidelines to keep any future spread of Covid-19 at bay, leagues, clubs or individual associates cannot be held responsible in the event of any cases arising of same that might be traced back to their involvement in a previous group get-together or suchlike.’
The NEFL say they hope to announce the proposed format the delayed season will take later this week.
The FAI’s Steering Group met last Saturday and they have drawn up protocols for a potential return to training for all adult amateur and underage football from next week under the new Government guidelines.
They recommend that clubs identify at least one Covid-19 compliance officer, who should be present for all training sessions, and that they complete a risk assessment checklist for all their training venues and return it to the FAI before training resumes.
The pathway for a return to training also states that clubs with multiple teams may have to consider staggering their return to training, and coaches would have to record names of those training for contact tracing purposes.
SOCCER
FROM THE ARCHIVES