EPL eyes restart, players raise concerns

LONDON: The path to the English Premier League resuming was eased on Monday by the government saying elite sports will be allowed to resume in England in June if there is no new spike in coronavirus infections.

While spectators will not be allowed into stadiums for some time, the British government embracing the return of professional sports stands in contrast to rulings by French and Dutch authorities who have banned any events until September.

Premier League clubs met on

Monday for further talks on “Project Restart” despite growing disquiet among players over safety issues and divisions over proposals on how to end the season. The English top flight has a huge number of hurdles to clear if it is to follow Germany’s Bundesliga, which plans to return from a two-month coronavirus shutdown later this week.

A return to training in small groups is seen as the next step and clubs hope to get more guidance from the British government. Players, coaches and staff will need to be tested at least twice a week. Protocols also need to be agreed on what would happen in the event of a positive test.

Players have voiced their concerns at the prospect of being rushed back into training at a time when the general public remain encouraged to abide by social-distancing guidelines. “We are just people too,” tweeted Norwich midfielder Todd Cantwell.

A study for the Office for National Statistics, showing black people are nearly twice as likely to die with Covid-19 as white people in England, has also raised concerns.

The Premier League’s desire to overcome so many obstacles to complete the campaign is rooted in economic necessity. Clubs stand to lose around £1 billion if the season is not finished. But £760 million of that comes from TV rights that would be satisfied if games were played behind closed doors. Financial worries are also causing divisions among the clubs, which could end the chances of a return to action.

A group of clubs near the bottom of the table are opposed to plans to play the remaining 92 games at neutral venues. League chiefs believe they will only get the government’s green light to restart if the number of venues are limited to reduce the medical, police, security and broadcast personnel required.