Sport is not spared by the resumption of the coronavirus epidemic in France. The cases are multiplying within French football clubs, while three new players were infected in Rennes and as many in Marseille. Organizing the 2020-2021 Ligue 1 could become a headache, especially since the health rules are very strict. Various players are calling for these preventive measures to be relaxed.
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Fourteen days without collective training
The concern comes first from the Professional Football League (LFP). Didier Quillot, its general manager, fears the multiplication of postponements of matches and a congested schedule. Tuesday, he officially requested that the health protocol be lightened. This protocol provides that from four players who test positive for Covid-19, the match of the team concerned is postponed. This is the reason why Marseille-Saint-Étienne could not be played due to several cases in the Olympian squad.
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Each infected player is then placed in fourteen. Eight days later, he can resume individual training only if the virological and cardiological tests are satisfactory. Fourteen days later, the player resumes collective training.
"Not psychorigides"
The president of the Covid-19 commission of the LFP, Doctor Jean-François Chapelier, is in favor of relaxing these rules. "We are for the championship to work, we are not psychorigides, but we respect the health of the player", nuance with Europe 1 the professional, who recognizes that the protocol is today "heavy ":" A guy who has had the Covid-19, he can be excluded from his team for 14 days and miss two matches. If tomorrow a player dies suddenly because we have not done this type of examination, who are we going to be told? "
"The protocol, if it is lightened, could be inspired by the less restrictive model set up by UEFA in Lisbon, for the Champions League. During the" Final 8 ", the matches could be played if the team had 13 healthy players.