The Sunday Mail (Zimbabwe)

The recommenda­tions

- Of cases can begin to ease restrictio­ns in a stepwise and strategic fashion. standards of personal hygiene will be continued in the long term. mitigation procedures will be establishe­d beforehand, regularly updated and activated appropriat­ely, as advised

FIFA have begun planning for the resumption football activities by sharing a risk assessment tool with the 211-member associatio­ns, six continenta­l confederat­ions and other stakeholde­rs.

However, games would only start after health authoritie­s and government­s consider it safe.

According to FIFA.com, the risk assessment tool has been developed in conjunctio­n with the World Health Organisati­on (WHO), UEFA, the European Club Associatio­n, FIFPRO, the World Leagues Forum and European Leagues.

“It includes a list of mitigation measures that aim to reduce the overall risk of mass gatherings contributi­ng to the spread of Covid-19, as well as indication­s for individual and group training by football teams,” said FIFA.

The local Castle Lager Premiershi­p have already begun taking steps to ensure safety when football eventually resumes.

“The Premier Soccer League is working on a plan to ensure that we have a safe football environmen­t once we are given the green

FOOTBALL is not feasible under the most severe restrictio­ns during a pandemic (for example, “lockdown”).

A “new normal” will be required when movement restrictio­ns are eased.

The easing of restrictio­ns is likely to be implemente­d over a gradual period, with time frames differing across countries, and it is anticipate­d that these guidelines will be used in conjunctio­n with the public health advice from local regions/government­s. The following is expected: light to resume matches by the Government.

“The PSL Sports Medicine Committee has been tasked to come up with protocols and procedures to be followed by all PSL clubs

WHO.

FIFA during football competitio­n in light of Covid19 pandemic.

“The protocols will provide guidelines that will assist clubs with training and match-day (ranging from the monitoring of respirator­y signs/symptoms to body-temperatur­e checks and specific Covid-19 laboratory testing).

and musculoske­letal tests as advised by healthcare profession­als, depending on availabili­ty, exposure to Covid-19, finances and level of competitio­n.

on the availabili­ty and reliabilit­y/validity of testing kits. It is important that the procuremen­t and use of testing kits in no way detract from the resources and capabiliti­es

procedures upon the resumption of football,” said PSL spokespers­on Kudzai Bare.

However, the risk assessment tool is being shared together a document on FIFA medical of the local/national health authoritie­s’ testing regimes. Testing kits should only be used subject to scientific validation, local availabili­ty and the directives of the local health authoritie­s, and in conjunctio­n with education to foster understand­ing of the testing procedures and the meaning of the test results. In the future, regular testing (possibly both PCR and antibody testing) will most likely be a component of group training, play and travel. The evidence supporting the use of testing is growing quickly and this document will be updated as additional evidence emerges. — Fifa.com

recommenda­tions, which was developed by the FIFA Covid-19 Medical Working Group that was establishe­d on April 16.

The working group is made up of the two

FIFA medical leads, a medical/scientific representa­tive of each of the six confederat­ions and external consultant­s.

The WHO and the FIFA Medical Committee also contribute­d to the document.

The aim of this joint effort is to consider the health of all participan­ts in footballin­g activities, the risk assessment­s and the factors that need to be in place in order for football, both at profession­al and amateur level, to resume safely.

The recommenda­tions are also meant to be implemente­d in conjunctio­n with internatio­nal and national guidelines on public health and mass gatherings.

Football governing bodies are being encouraged to liaise with the relevant public health authoritie­s and to undertake a comprehens­ive risk assessment to determine whether it is safe to proceed.

The important guiding principle is that the resumption of footballin­g activities should not compromise the health of individual­s or the community. — Fifa.com/Sports Reporter.

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