Government backs the Premier League to move ahead with its return from suspension and complete the 2019-20 season, of course with strict guidelines. In that respect, the framework return has been cleared by Boris Johnson’s office, including crucial plans for widespread testing of players.
And that will be laid out in a meeting of the 20 top flight clubs on Friday, where a timeline will be presented for the return of football in the UK.
Mirror Sport reveals the Government asked the Premier League to provide more concrete proposal with details for completion of remaining matches. The government has been in talks with the Premier League on the outline of the remaining Premier League season, and now the Prime Minister’s office has offered look more than interested complete to the season behind closed doors, if possible in June.
Premier League – Five-point Framework
- Phased return to training, for individual programmes at the start of May.
- Full contact squad training, possibly in the last week of May.
- Games to resume as early as the second week in June.
- A comprehensive testing programme, paid for by the Premier League.
- Government cooperation on support services at stadiums for matches, including medical and police.
As UEFA had previously urged all member nations to complete the current season, but contrary to that appeal, Belgium, Netherlands and France have ended their current season. On the other hand Germany, Italy, Spain and England are still committed to complete 2019-20 season by July. UEFA have also urged their member nation to confirm their status by May 25.
Premier League – Project Restart Procedure
All players and staff will have to pass COVID-19 Antigen Test (‘CAT’) in the 48 hours before returning to group training.
They will also be tested for potential respiratory problems associated with coronavirus – and everyone will have to agree in writing to follow the strict procedures.
- All footballs, GPS units, cones, corner flags, goalposts and other equipment to be disinfected before and after use by staff wearing PPE
- Players to wear snood/masks at all times
- Cars to be parked three spaces apart
- No massages unless approved by club doctor
- Fluids to be left at designated pick-up points
- Only visit training block to use toilet
- Initially only five players per training group
- Players to be given designated time slots and 15 minutes to prepare
- 75 minutes of small group training
- 15 minutes recovery
- Players and staff will be banned from spitting at the Training Ground
