False testing of Premier players may hinder plans for comeback
● Claims of unreliable equipment cast doubt on government’s resumption hopes
Concerns have been raised about the reliability of testing Premier League players for Covid-19, as the government advised sports in England to begin seriously planning to start playing behind closed doors from the beginning of next month, provided there is no spike in infections.
The Premier League will hold a video conference with club captains this week to discuss medical protocols for a return to training and matches. It will involve information about testing and allow players to air their health fears.
The government yesterday cleared the pathway for the Premier League to resume by announcing stage two of their roadmap for easing lockdown restrictions would include “permitting cultural and sporting events to take place behind closed doors for broadcast, while avoiding the risk of large-scale social contact”.
The document added: “To aid planning, the government’s current aim is that the second step will be made no earlier than Monday 1 June, subject to these conditions being satisfied. Organisations should prepare accordingly.”
A key aspect of the Premier League’s Project Restart is to test players twice per week to ensure that any outbreak of the virus is identified early to avoid it spreading, with players inevitably coming into close proximity with one anotherintrainingandgames.
Yet an A&E manager, who does not want to be named, has warned that the tests are too unreliable for that to work because many are coming back false negative, which is understoodtobeawidespread problem.
A prominent Premier League agent has also questioned the reliability of the testing equipment, but has defended players from accusations that they could take tests away from frontline NHS and care home workers.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters yesterday insisted that his organisation was confident that the testing was of the highest standard. “Absolutely we are,” Masters said. “I believe it’s a sister company of the one the Bundesliga are using and it meets the highest standards. It’s obviously been tested, so we are confident.”
The daily coronavirus testing figures published by the Department of Health and Social Care show that multiple tests are having to be used for individuals to produce accurate diagnoses.
Yesterday, 65,337 people were tested for Covid-19, yet it took 100,490 tests to produce accurate data, a similar figure to the previous day’s update. As of yesterday, the cumulative total was 1,921,770 tests carried out for 1,400,107 people, meaning that an extra 521,663 have been needed. As of 5pm on Sunday, 32,065 coronavirus deaths had been recorded in the United Kingdom.
The Premier League’s private testing process will be run by Prenetics, a biotechnology company based in Hong
Kong which won a £4 million contract.
The company did not respond when emailed yesterday asking how it can be certain that its testing will be 100 per cent reliable when NHS testing is not.
On Prenetics’ Linkedin page, the firm describes itself as “a leading global genetic testing and digital health company. Prenetics operates its direct to consumer genomics business via its two brands, Circledna in Asia and DNAFIT in Europe. The company has a team of more than 150 people and is spread across ten offices in Asia, Europe and South Africa”.
As part of the Premier
League’s plans, temporary testing areas will be built at the training grounds of all 20 clubs.
However, Gary Mellor, whose Beswicks Sports agency represents more than 150 players, said: “I’d like to know more about the quality of the testing equipment.
“I don’t buy the argument of ‘why do players get tested before key workers?’ That shouldn’t be the case, but I would question the procurement office of the government. The Premier League is not richer than the government. Is it the case that they are buying substandard equipment then? I’d need to know the tests are right for my players.
“I want football to come back. If the Premier League can’t do it when the rest of society is returning, what chance does the rest of football have?”
“I believe it’s a sister company of the one the Bundesliga are using and it meets the highest standards. It’s obviously been tested, so we are confident”