On Thursday, May 14, 2020, the British government approved the return of professional football to England in June, with EPL matches to be played behind closed doors.
This decision was reached after a meeting was held yesterday, between the government and key English football governing bodies.
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UK Secretary of State for Culture, Oliver Dowden, reportedly said that the English Football Association, The Premier League and English Football League had made progressive plans towards the League’s return.
It is a fact that most EPL players and managers support the return of the league, but quite a few expressed their concerns about how close the return date is.
One English Premier League Manager told BBC Sport that many of his colleagues feel the proposed June 12 return date is too soon since there are issues to be addressed with medical and training protocols.
However, for the League to return, its board and member clubs emphasized they would return only when it feels safe to do so.
They reassured everyone that there would be no pressure on NHS resources. Peradventure there is a need for an ambulance at any game and the NHS cannot meet the demand, an ambulance would be provided privately.
The medical and safety protocols released for the return of the EPL states that, while partaking of training routines, players must maintain the two-meter social distancing rule, and they must be divided into small groups at the beginning of the training.
The goal of the plan is to move to more grouped-based sessions quickly.
As part of the protocols, a parking space must be assigned to every EPL player at their respective training grounds. The players must arrive in their kits, with personal towels and water bottles.
These items must be screened every day for Covid-19 symptoms. They are advised to have their snoods or masks on at all times on the training pitch.
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Every player will be screened and tested frequently for the virus. The EPL will pay Hong Kong-based Company Prenetics an estimated amount of £4m for 40,00 home testing kits, with the information gathered stored on a central database.
Any player who exhibits symptoms of the virus must self-isolate for seven days, while any player who had come in contact with an infected person must self-isolate for 14days.
Before any player who tested positive to Coronavirus returns to training, he must undergo rigorous examinations to ensure he is capable of high tempo exercise. This includes blood tests, heart, and lung examination.
EPL clubs remain hopeful that the proposal for a neutral venue does not stand.
