English club striker and captain Watford Troy Deeney here in a match against Liverpool on February 29, 2020. - Ryan Browne / BPI / REX / SIPA

English club striker and captain Watford Troy Deeney announced Tuesday that he would not resume small group training with his club for fear of bringing the virus home and infecting his 5-month-old son.

"We're supposed to be back this week. I said that I will not go, announced one of the most fervent opponents of the return of football due to the Covid-19 pandemic, in a sports podcast. “My son is 5 months old and he has breathing difficulties. I don't want to go home and put him in danger, ”said the player.

The idea of ​​restarting in June is far from being unanimous among the English https://t.co/yNEbkjkLoF

- 20 Minutes (@ 20Minutes) May 17, 2020

Monday, the 20 clubs of Premier League had voted in favor of a resumption of the trainings “by small groups” and “by respecting the social distancing”. But the English championship hopes to move soon to contact training, with the aim of resuming matches in the second half of June and ending the season frozen in March by the coronavirus pandemic, after 29 days.

However, the virus remains active in England, the second worst death toll in the world, and the regular tests promised to the players are not enough to reassure Deeney. “We will be tested and we will be in a very safe environment, but only one (contaminated) person in the group is enough. I don't want to take this home, ”he argued, pointing to what he considers to be inconsistencies.

Increased risk for black populations or other ethnic minorities

"I will not be able to go to the hairdresser before mid-July but I can crowd with 19 people in a repair area to compete in an air balloon?" I don't see how it can work, ”he said. Deeney also stressed the increased risk that affects black populations, like him, Asians or other ethnic minorities, in the event of contamination.

A black person has - at the same age, pre-existing health and socio-economic conditions - twice as likely to die if he develops Covid-19 as a white person, according to the Office of National Statistics (ONS). During conference calls with managers, “I asked very simple questions (…) Will there be additional exams? Heart tricks to see if people have problems? No. Okay, well I think that should be taken into account, “detailed the 31-year-old forward.

Sport

Coronavirus: Chelsea players don't cut wages but donate

  • Premier League
  • Sport
  • Coronavirus
  • Covid 19
  • Soccer