Los Angeles (AFP)
Lakers star LeBron James, who had threatened not to play if matches were to be held behind closed doors if the evolution of the new coronavirus epidemic forced him to the NBA, revised his position before the press , Tuesday.
"Obviously, I would be very disappointed if there were no fans with us, but at the same time, you have to listen to the people who are following what's going on," said James first.
"If they think it is better for the safety of the players, the franchise, the league to make it mandatory, then we will listen to them all," he added after a short training session a few hours of playing against Brooklyn at the Staples Center, again this time at least facing the audience.
The NBA sent the thirty teams a memo on Friday telling them to start "developing" plans on how to schedule meetings with only "essential staff" in their outfit. These closed doors would take place even without journalists, who are already prohibited from changing rooms as decided by four professional sports leagues in the United States (NBA, MLB, MLS, NHL).
"Playing without the fans? No, it's impossible," said James on Friday after shining in the Lakers' victory over Milwaukee. "That's why I play. I play for my teammates and I play for the fans. So if I show up in a room and there are no fans in there, I don't play. They can do whatever they want, "he said firmly.
In the NBA memo, it is added that franchises must prepare for the possibility of having to take the temperature of players, team staff, referees and any other person to be present at matches.
Worldwide, 117,339 cases of infection have been recorded since December in 107 countries and territories, including 4,251 deaths, according to an AFP report from official sources Tuesday around 5:00 p.m. GMT.
According to Johns Hopkins University, the United States, which has not yet tested many people, has so far identified 791 confirmed cases of coronavirus. 27 people have died, including 23 in Washington State, and none so far in New York.
© 2020 AFP