Minister Delegate for Sports Roxana Maracineanu July 7, 2020. -

Ludovic Marin / AFP

No re-containment for pro sport.

Professional sports competitions can continue during the new period of confinement decided on Wednesday by Emmanuel Macron, announced the Minister for Sports, Roxana Maracineanu, on Thursday at the National Assembly.

“The coming weeks will be tough economically but also humanely.

This is why I wanted to confirm to you this evening that the continuity of sport which is practiced as a profession is guaranteed today, ”declared the Minister during the examination of the Sports budget at the Palais-Bourbon.

“Top athletes and professional athletes will be able to continue training.

And they will also be able to continue to compete since travel for professional reasons is authorized, ”continued the Minister Delegate.

Castex statement Thursday morning

Emmanuel Macron announced on Wednesday the return of confinement throughout the national territory "from Friday" and until December 1, at a minimum.

Prime Minister Jean Castex will make a statement to the Assembly on Thursday morning, then give a press conference to detail the measures following this presidential announcement.

The first national confinement, decreed in mid-March and which ended in May, had brought professional sport to a halt in France.

Football Ligue 1, the Rugby Top 14 in particular could not go until the end of the 2019/2020 season.

The Tour de France cyclist, traditionally organized during the first three weeks of July, was held this year in September, as was the Roland-Garros tennis tournament, usually organized at the end of May-beginning of June and which was held late September-early October.

The team sports seasons have resumed normally this summer, under strict anti-Covid protocol, but have since been punctuated by many postponements or cancellations of matches.

Lens-Marseille pushed back

Thursday, before Emmanuel Macron's speech, the Professional Football League (LFP) notably announced the postponement of the Ligue 1 match scheduled for Friday between Olympique de Marseille and RC Lens, due to the positive test for coronavirus " over 10 players ”from the northern club.

This is the second postponement for RC Lens after the meeting against Nantes, which was to take place last Sunday.

After the presidential intervention, the National Basketball League (LNB) announced the postponement of the entire day of the French championship scheduled for this weekend.

"The steering committee will make a decision for the days scheduled for November as soon as the government has provided additional details to the president's statements on professional sport", explained the LNB.

This week, in an open letter to the President of the Republic, the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF) and 95 sports federations deplored not appearing among the “priorities” of the public authorities in the management of the health crisis, in denouncing "a stigmatization as violent as it is unfounded" and alerting to the weakening of the amateur sector.

  • Covid 19

  • Confinement

  • Emmanuel Macron

  • Coronavirus

  • Sport