NGIGE: Restarting leagues should borrow a leaf from Bundesliga players

By JANE NGIGE

Europe’s Big Five leagues management bodies have taken serious actions on footballers who have breached Covid-19 precautions and vowed to continue taking measures to protect players and those involved with the resumption of matches.

La Liga president Javier Tebas has warned players that they risk mandatory quarantine after Barcelona’s Nelson Semedo breached protocol by attending a gathering of more than 20 people earlier this week at Casanova Beach Club in Castelldefels.

Semedo was denied access to group training on Thursday and will be forced to wait for the results of the latest round of coronavirus tests before he can attend a session with his teammates.

Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli will miss Tottenham’s clash against Manchester United after being given a one-game ban and £50,000 fine for mocking an Asian man in a social media post.

Alli, 24, will also take an educational course after an Independent Regulatory Commission investigation concluded he was guilty of misconduct relating to a Snapchat post made on February 6.

Alli in response to the FA’s decision apologised for any harm caused by his post. “It was an extremely poorly judged joke about a virus that has now affected us more than we could ever have imagined,” said Alli.

Head of Bundesliga’s new coronavirus task force and chairman of the Uefa medical committee, Tim Meyer has said while the German league had produced the safest possible system for league resumption, it’s important that players show discipline and adhere to new rules and regulations.

Every player’s behavior will be “crucial until the end of the season”, the medical head of the Bundesliga and Uefa’s efforts to restart the game across Europe has warned. However, the decision on how to respond to any positive tests among players will remain with the local health authorities in Germany.

Football has to give something back to the people and that calls for disciplined players. Keeping themselves away from the virus remains a priority. This Saturday NTV courtesy of StarTimes, will air the match between bottom two sides Werder Bremen and Paderborn at 4:30pm.

Other Round 31 fixtures will see leaders Bayern Munich take on Borussia Moenchengladbach and the hosts could be confirmed champions with a win on Saturday if second-placed Borussia Dortmund lose at relegation-threatened Fortuna Duesseldorf earlier in the day.

FIXTURES (all times 1630 EAT unless stated)

Friday

Hoffenheim v RB Leipzig (2130)

Saturday

Wolfsburg v Freiburg, Fortuna Duesseldorf v Borussia Dortmund, Hertha Berlin v Eintracht Frankfurt, Cologne v Union Berlin, Paderborn v Werder Bremen, Bayern Munich v Borussia Moenchengladbach (1930)

Sunday

Mainz v Augsburg, Schalke v Bayer Leverkusen (1900)