OUR CLEAN BREAK
NEIL HARRIS has ordered a deep clean of Cardiff’s training ground before allowing his players to return tomorrow.
A member of the first team and a staff member have been in isolation as a precaution after showing some symptoms of coronavirus.
No positive tests have been confirmed but Harris (above) is not taking any chances with his Bluebirds stars. “The danger is out there so we must abide by the EFL guidelines,” he said. “The players are having a few days away from the place to allow it to be deepcleaned and to make sure we can be as healthy as possible. “The players are erring on the side of caution; if they show flu-like symptoms then they will go into selfisolation. There is nothing more we can do.
“It is unprecedented for us all but my message to them is just to be careful.”
PROFESSIONAL sports teams and governing bodies have been warned to brace themselves for a spike in mental health problems due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Depression, self-harm and addictions could rise during the period of inactivity so many sports are currently experiencing.
The Professional Cricketers’ Association has turned to charity Sporting Chance, founded by former England football captain Tony Adams, to look after their mental health provisions.
The coronavirus crisis, with six Surrey cricketers now in self-isolation after suffering symptoms, has left lots of top athletes in turmoil.
“We believe there will be a spike in mental health issues,” said Ian Thomas (above), the PCA director of welfare.
“It is going to knock their training regimes, their routines and all the stuff that causes people anxiety when they transition out of the game.
“The next month could interesting. We are in unprecedented times and need to do as much as we can to reassure our members.
“Their health and well-being is of paramount importance. It is a time when we need to look after those who might be more vulnerable, not only from a physical point of view, but be from a mental challenge too in isolation.” Adams has proved an example for sports stars and he is impressed with the work cricket does in this area through their ‘personal development and welfare managers’. There were 85 PCA members, 40 current and 45 ex-players, who used their confidential phone number to seek help from the organisation in 2019, rising from 59 in 2017.
It is a trend that concerns the PCA, who offer as much help as possible through their charitable arm the PCA Trust. The Trust has been boosted by a £100,000 donation from the England and Wales Cricket Board. Adams said: “We have researched our network of therapists to work out who can see people face to face and who can see people through Skype. “One of the things we make sure is that we don’t miss a beat on providing our service and provision. “There are fundamental differences between sports, but people are people whether they play sport for a living or not.
“Cricket is fortunate because it has had some good examples of players and role models who have spoken out about mental health and how they have sought help.
“No one came and spoke at my club when I was a player, my role models took me down the pub then down the bookies.
“But now through Sporting Chance and other charities you’ve got education going on at clubs to help players from the outset.”