20.5 C
Kenya
Sunday, June 15, 2025

Premier League players will begin training in small groups today [Tuesday] but will be restricted to 75 minutes a day

However, clubs will be subject to no-notice spot-checks to ensure they are complying with pandemic training protocols.

The first step involves small groups of up to five players working together, whilst practicing social distancing, with sessions to last no more than 75 minutes for any one player.

The Premier League will also make public the number of players who test positive for COVID-19 but will not identify them or their clubs. The inspection squads will start immediately and eventually each club will have an allocated inspector.

The league’s director of football Richard Garlick said it was important for every club to have confidence their rivals were sticking to the rules.

“We can request information from videoing of the sessions and GPS data, too,” he said.

“We are also looking at bringing in our own independent audit inspection team that we’ll scale up over the next few days which will give us the ability to have inspections at training grounds to start with on a no-notice basis.

“Gradually, we aim to ramp that up so we can have an inspector at every training ground. That will enable us to give everyone confidence that the protocols are being complied with, and give the public confidence that we are trying to create a very safe working environment.”

The results of the first round of coronavirus testing will be confirmed on Tuesday afternoon.

Players will be expected to arrive at their club’s training ground wearing kit, and leave three parking spaces between their car and any others present.

Players will not be able to gather in communal areas. Face coverings must be worn, while all training equipment will be disinfected by club staff wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).

The Premier League’s medical adviser Mark Gillett revealed that Public Health England and the Chief Medical Officer’s department had told football not to expect any major relaxation in social distancing for some time.

“They’ve made it very clear that the public health situation is not going to change over the next six to 12 months,” he said.

“In terms of social distancing and that cultural change we are asking footballers to make I think we are going to face that for the foreseeable future.”

Having voted on the return to training, the 20 sides will gather again on 26 May to discuss protocols for contact sessions, which will be the clearest signpost as to when the Premier League can actually restart and will require further consultation with players and managers.

Dan Ojumah
Dan Ojumahhttp://uzalendonews.co.ke/
Do you have a story that would interest our readers? Write to us 'info@uzalendonews.co.ke'
Latest news
Related news