Coronavirus: ‘Patience is running out’ with football after continued violations of rules and protocols

Images of players celebrating in tight locker rooms were an unwanted feature of the FA Cup third round weekend – as crowds of fans flocking outside of the cup matches drew criticism and attention government ministers.

“Morally, with the situation we have in this country and in the world, continuing to do what we are doing is a little strange feeling,” Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said on Monday. “We know what we can do for society if we are able to do it in a safe manner.”

In the Premier League, referees will speak to captains and managers before matches to remind them to respect social distancing rules, including in situations such as goal celebrations and handshakes.

New EFL chief executive Trevor Birch wrote to all clubs on Monday, warning them that “now is not the time for complacency” about Covid protocols, adding: “We will come under government pressure extreme if we continue to flout the rules and guidelines in place.

“It is more important than ever that all club staff and players closely follow the processes to avoid a suspension and the implications, including financial, associated with such a drastic course of action.”

BBC sports editor Dan Roan has said that while elite sport is not yet in the “last-ditch saloon” there is “no guarantee” with “patience exhausted. breath”.

What is the context?

Over the weekend, the UK passed the milestone of 80,000 coronavirus-related deaths since the start of the pandemic and there has been debate as to whether England’s lockdown restrictions should be further tightened.

But some elite sports were able to continue under strict protocols established this summer.

With several shocking results at this weekend’s FA Cup, players were keen to celebrate, but dressing room videos with players not distancing themselves socially led to criticism on social media.

There was also footage of fans gathered outside Marine’s stadium in Crosby, Merseyside, ahead of their game against Tottenham on Sunday.

Merseyside Police said “the vast majority of those present adhere to social distancing measures and those not advised by police”.

More than 60 England games have been called off this season, with Aston Villa’s game against Tottenham on Wednesday the Premier League’s fifth postponement.

Spurs, Fulham, Crystal Palace, West Ham and Manchester City players were recently criticized by their clubs for breaking England’s restrictions over the New Years holidays.

In the Women’s Super League, Arsenal’s trip to Aston Villa and Manchester City’s home game with West Ham have both been postponed after five players tested positive for coronavirus following trips to Dubai at Christmas.

Manchester United boss Casey Stoney excuse for giving his players permission to travel to Dubai during the holiday season.

What are the rules?

In short: be sane and minimize contact.

After a relative increase in cases – 40 players and club staff tested positive in the first week of January – the Premier League has introduced stronger protocols:

• Players and managers were reminded to avoid unnecessary contact, with compliance officers asked to check behavior in the locker room.
• Agents would also check hotel stays and travel plans, with training grounds being reduced to enforce social distancing guidelines.
• Stricter match-day protocols include avoiding unnecessary contact at all times and substitutes wearing face masks.

The Premier League previously tested players once a week, but increased it to two rounds in the last week.

English Football League players and club staff will now receive coronavirus tests twice a week to help detect asymptomatic cases earlier. There were 112 positive cases across 66 EFL clubs in its last round of testing.

What was the reaction?

The Football Federation will remind everyone of their responsibilities.

It is understood that there are no plans to stop elite sport, but government ministers fear the locker room footage will make it more difficult to defend his lawsuit.

A source from Whitehall confirmed to the BBC that the celebrations at Chorley and Crawley Town were noted by ministers, who last week warned football authorities that they must do whatever they can to justify continuing the elite sport.

In his letter written to clubs on Monday, seen by BBC Sport, EFL chief executive Birch also said: “Throughout the pandemic, football has provided a ray of hope for the millions of people affected. by the restrictions, but we all understand how much the match stays below.

“As long as football is allowed to continue, the actions of all participants will be clearly under the microscope.

“I therefore ask you personally to redouble your efforts, to check, amend and tighten your protocol accordingly, and to make sure that the players and staff have no doubts about their responsibilities on match days. “

England’s chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, told BBC Breakfast that allowing team sports to continue was “a balancing act”.

“The balancing act tries to minimize the amount of contact outside of very structured environments while trying to keep some semblance of life as everyone knows,” he said.

“This is really a question for individuals in their day to day lives. We all have to say what can we do, in our own lives, to minimize the impact we have on the NHS and the vulnerable?”

“ Not quite in the last chance lounge ” – analysis

Dan Roan, BBC sports editor

Elite sport is not quite in the last-ditch salon, but the exemption granted to it, at a time when grassroots sport has had to cease, cannot be taken for granted.

A suspension is not yet imminent, but there are no guarantees either, especially if infection rates continue to rise, hospitals are overwhelmed and the national lockdown needs to be further tightened. The government’s patience appears to be running out after crowded celebratory scenes in the locker rooms mocked the social distancing protocols clubs have remembered.

The optics of hugs and handshakes on the pitch, and fans gathered outside, beamed into millions of homes at a time when the government desperately wants the public to stay home and avoid contact with d ‘other households, is very unnecessary for those who pursue the pursuit of professional sports.

I understand that the concerns of ministers and medical experts are not a final warning; they realize that coverage of elite sport encourages people to stay home and helps maintain some normalcy and balance in people’s lives, and that the protocols have largely been successful in suppressing transmission around training and matches.

But after warning sports bodies of their responsibilities last week, the government now expects football authorities in particular to redouble their efforts, and that the behavior of the players reflects the privilege they enjoy of being able to continue working when there have been. a lot of disruption in the work and life of so many people.

Admittedly, football can hardly afford more serious violations of guidelines by players when they are away from their clubs.

What did the football managers say?

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said the rules regarding the celebrations in particular could be “difficult to understand”.

“Controlling your emotions when playing at 200 mph is very difficult,” he said on Monday.

“We ask our players in the corners, for example, to mark men, push people and not hit anyone.”

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has expressed similar concerns, saying: “When a guy scores a goal I don’t know if he can be controlled and not celebrate it.

“The joy of celebrating it, I don’t know if [a player] will think, “I can’t hug my mate for two, three seconds.” “

Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Nuno Espirito Santo described the increase in cases as “frightening”.

“What scares me is the decision to quit – football as we know it now will not be the same,” he said.

“This is my biggest fear because the program is going to go crazy.”

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder said: “Everyone knows about the situation and if it is suspended I don’t think it would be a surprise.

“We’re just going to follow what the government and the Premier League have to say and, if that is the case to continue, we will continue. But I don’t think I’m controversial if I say no I think it doesn’t matter who would be surprised if we don’t continue the way he’s sweeping the country. “

Although fans are not allowed to attend matches, football still allows for a certain sense of escape – a point emphasized by Arteta.

“We know what we can bring to society if we are able to do it in a safe way,” he said.

“There are a lot of positives to take but it’s just that balance. When we’re still safe, we can add something positive without this difficult context.”