After July 10, the state of health emergency will most likely be lifted by the authorities. In the meantime, to support the resumption of training and competitions, professional football clubs are invited to respect a strict but paradoxical health and medical protocol.
Once the training center has left, each player playing in France becomes a citizen like any other and can go to restaurants like any other public place where respecting barrier gestures is not always easy to follow.
The situation is particularly true in big cities like Paris. Since their return to the Camp des Loges on June 22, the stars of the capital have observed, like all professional clubs, very specific instructions: taking a temperature at each entry to the Camp des Loges, wearing a mandatory mask in the common areas and a maximum physical distance during indoor sessions. Another rule: showers are prohibited on site.
“Everyone is responsible”
But that’s the biggest paradox. All this regulation can be swept away with the back of the hand if the entire workforce is found in the restaurant, accompanied by their companions, a few hours after a training session to celebrate Leandro Paredes’ birthday. “The players were made aware of the care to be taken during private outings,” said a close friend of the Parisian locker room. “We can’t stop them from going out,” said a player’s agent. The restaurants are open so they take advantage of it like you and I trying to be as careful as possible. “
The fact remains that for Paris as for Lyon, the stake of the final tournament of the Champions League, which will take place from August 12 to 23 in Portugal, perhaps requires very special attention. And it is easy to imagine the fears of PSG as the event approaches. In the United States, even as the NBA, the North American basketball championship, has to restart in a “bubble” in Orlando (Florida), players are still tested positive and remain uncertain.
In the recovery protocol booklet sent to all clubs by the AMCFP (Association of Doctors of Professional Football Clubs), a page is dedicated to the barrier gestures to be followed for players. “Everyone is responsible, reminds us of the AMCFP. A passage is dedicated to the player’s consent regarding these gestures. He was informed that outside the training center, he must continue. It is part of the protocol and they are supposed to adhere. “
“No risk does not exist”
“The doctor spoke from the first day to discuss this, confirms Gautier Larsonneur, goalkeeper of Stade Brestois 29. I try to respect the instructions outside as much as possible, to put on a mask in public places. We must be responsible because we see the consequences for clubs if a player is tested positive. To ensure maximum performance, the pros have all been tested for the Covid-19 when they resume training and will be tested 48 hours before each friendly match.
“Let’s put ourselves in the place of Parisians. They will play against Le Havre. They want to avoid having a sick person. That we are asked to take precautions is completely normal, “judges coach Paul Le Guen, who receives PSG on July 12 with HAC. Gautier Larsonneur, who told us of his fears around a recovery in mid-April, also says he is satisfied with the measures taken and reassured by the environment.
“The priority was that no member of the workforce was affected,” said the goalkeeper. There is nothing difficult to follow the protocol. Touching up the balloon is great and there is no such thing as zero risk. So it’s up to us to take our responsibilities apart. So that the big football party could start again.
