Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
IFA CHIEF NELSON’S TEST VOW
IRISH FA chief Patrick Nelson has revealed the governing body will fund a round of coronavirus tests if Irish League clubs opt to return to action next month.
Finishing the season with a further two rounds of fixtures between July 20 and August 3 remains one of two options available to the NI Football League.
The other is deciding league positions via an independent panel and ‘mathematical formula’.
A majority of the 12 top flight clubs is expected to reject the return to play prospect when they inform NIFL of their preferred option
this afternoon. But if they do decide to complete the campaign on the pitch, the IFA and NIFL are ready to step in with a round of testing.
Nelson said: “Testing isn’t mandatory but between ourselves and NIFL we will fund a round of testing before we get back to football.
“If clubs want to fund any further testing beyond that it is an opportunity for them.”
Sean Murphy, the IFA’S chief operating officer, added: “We are talking to a number of companies and looking to a testing approach to give additional assurance. The key thing is we want to ensure the testing is appropriate and recognising that our league is different to the Bundesliga and Premier League in England.
“We cannot put our players in ‘bubbles’ as some of them will have jobs outside of football.
“We need to look at a solution that would be appropriate for Northern Ireland football and for the safety of our players to ensure they are not infectious when they play.”
It is also understood Crusaders, unhappy with the options to conclude the season, have written to the Minister of Health Robin Swann asking for government intervention and advice on the process.
And that means today’s 5pm deadline for clubs to agree a way forward may yet be in jeopardy.