INTERVIEW
Confinement requires, Roland Garros could not take place on the scheduled dates. While the Covid-19 epidemic seems to be stabilizing in France, it will be necessary to wait until September 28 to follow this new edition. At the microphone of Europe 1, Jean-François Vilotte, director general of the French Tennis Federation (FTT), detailed Friday the health protocol implemented to welcome spectators to Roland Garros this year.
"We have created the conditions to be able to organize [the tournament], provided that the health context evolves as desired", explains Jean-François Vilotte. The tournament will thus be able to welcome "approximately 20,000 spectators the first days of the tournament" and "10,000 the day of the final," he said. Jean-François Vilotte however wishes to reassure, by promising "a lot of fluidity and circulation".
A "rigorous" protocol
The masks will also be recommended for spectators in the stands and mandatory as soon as they move around the enclosure. Since the decision to postpone the tournament in mid-March, the resumption has been carefully considered, explains Jean-François Vilotte. According to him, it is the consequence of "working with public authorities to imagine and implement the most rigorous health protection protocol, reconcilable with the organization of the tournament and with the public".
Because for Jean-François Vilotte and the players, the absence of an audience was not an option. "The players are very keen to play with the public. They have said so much," said the director, who said he was "in solidarity with the US Open", which will take place behind closed doors.