Football: despite the Covid-19, resumption of the North American championship against a backdrop of anti-racism

After a suspension of almost four months, the players of the North American championship of football (Major League Soccer) again trod the lawns, Wednesday July 8. The first meeting took place between Orlando City and Inter Miami, owned by David Beckham (2-1), and was marked by demonstrations of support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Portuguese striker Nani, a former Manchester United player, defeated Orlando in a closed-door game at Disney World's ESPN's World Wide of Sports complex in Florida.

Shortly before kick-off, dozens of players from different MLS clubs lined up around the pitch to silently protest racism and police violence. Players in black t-shirts and black gloves raised their fists to the night sky for eight minutes and 46 seconds, a reference to the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis after that time, neck under a policeman's knee.

✊🏿✊🏻 Here is the image of the week and even of the tournament, all the players of #MLS united for the #BlackLivesMatter movement before the opening match of the #MLSIsBack tournament! #OrlandoCity / #InterMiamiCF pic.twitter.com/yGjgAkGxSE

Just after the whistle started the game, the players from Miami and Orlando knelt, a gesture of solidarity with the anti-racist movement Black Lives Matter who crossed the world in protest after Floyd's death.

Fear of the virus

The MLS, suspended after two days in mid-March, resumed Wednesday in a format similar to the World Cup, with group stage and knockout, in a "bubble" supposed to protect it from the pandemic.

But four new Nashville SC players have contracted the Covid-19, according to the Athletic news site. If the information is confirmed, this would bring the number of team players who tested positive for coronavirus to nine. The first five cases were confirmed on Tuesday. On Monday, FC Dallas had to withdraw from competition after the confirmed infection of ten of its players and one member of the management.

"We don't want anyone to be sick, have symptoms or have Covid-19," said MLS commissioner Don Garber on ESPN. "The idea was to detect infections upon arrival in Orlando. This is what is happening with Dallas and Nashville. We are working closely with our doctors and we will meet with them."

"If we find that we have a case with Nashville that makes it impossible for them to continue in the tournament, we will make our decision and move on," he added.

With AFP

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