COVID-19 and sport

[TheLocalYokel]

probably requires a rule change from FIFA, a sub committee of a rule change committee or even a player death from Covid. Authorities are simply too slow to initiate change.

They are but the football authorities have had long enough to realise that the pandemic is hugely life-threatening around the world and they should have anticipated that players would not voluntarily agree to give up their ridiculous goal celebrations (with managers and even club owners seemingly unconcerned about the situation) that a rule should have been brought in banning any physical contact in a match that does not ensue from the natural progression of the game itself.

Players are given a yellow card for removing their shirt so why not for hugging and kissing? Another sanction would be for football authorities to hit the clubs themselves in the pocket with fines. Professional footballers are role models for so many young people these days and the sight of their heroes embracing to celebrate goals gives completely the wrong message when it comes to social distancing in the community generally.

I really do believe that managers and club owners should adopt a much firmer stance with their players on this.

 

[JENNYJET]

There is a sanction available but clubs appear unaware, withdrawal of the Safety Certificate. This has been done at Old Trafford stadium whereby sections have been closed due to persistent standing and the same sanction could be used if behaviour of individuals risks the health and safety of those in attendance.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Re previous posts on the subject, the Heineken Cup and Challenge Cup have now been suspended by the organisers after the French Government directed that French teams must withdraw on coronavirus grounds, at least for the time being. The organisers hope the competitions can be resumed at a later date.

This will obviously lead to potential fixture congestion later in the season. Pat Lam, Bristol's director of rugby, wants English Premiership matches brought forward to fill the dates left by the suspension of the European competitions.

It remains to be seen how the French Government will react to its national team taking part in the Six Nations which begins early next month.

 

[JENNYJET]

If the remaining governments decide to proceed with the Nations tournament, can they remove France from the next edition? Maybe invite another nation to step in? Romania or Georgia perhaps seeing South Africa has Virus issues!

 

[TheLocalYokel]

If the remaining governments decide to proceed with the Nations tournament, can they remove France from the next edition? Maybe invite another nation to step in? Romania or Georgia perhaps seeing South Africa has Virus issues!

I don't know the answer to that. Jerry is probably the best person to ask if he reads this part of the thread.

The English Premiership announced this evening that they won't bring forward Premiership matches to fill in the European cups gaps, but instead will take a two-week break.

Looking ahead February and March seem committed to Prem matches each weekend, albeit they run at the same time as the Six Nations with weakened Prem sides as a result. April seems to have a couple of spare Prem weekends and May one. That's the English Prem but clubs from leagues in other countries also compete in the European cups and their fixture calendars might be different.

It looks as though there will be some fixture congestion later in the season if the European cup competitions are resumed then.

 

[JENNYJET]

I would be prepared to award the team left without a game if France withdraw, the points if the tournament proceeds as it would be deemed safe to continue. The IRB would have final say as the governing body.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I would be prepared to award the team left without a game if France withdraw, the points if the tournament proceeds as it would be deemed safe to continue. The IRB would have final say as the governing body.

They've been awarding 28-0 wins to teams in the Heineken Cup where games are called off because of the virus with the 'guilty' team deemed the loser of the match. In theory a club could have all its matches called off because of the virus and be considered the 'innocent' party and enter the knockout stage without having played a match. What the authorities will do in the knockout stage if the virus continues to intrude I don't know.

Premiership Rugby have said the reason they haven't allowed Premiership league matches to be rearranged to fill gaps in the next couple of weeks created by the suspension of the European cups is the need to look after player welfare. Yet if the European cups do resume later in the season English clubs will find fixture congestion means they are playing twice a week to complete the European competitions and their own domestic Premiership. How is that looking after players' welfare?

Not only that but the French league has rearranged matches to fill the European cup gaps which means that French clubs won't see such an intense fixture concentration later in the season giving them an advantage over the English clubs in the European cup competitions. Will Carling once called the men making up the inner circle of the Rugby Union 'a bunch of old farts'. Nothing seems to have changed.

People like Pat Lam and Rob Baxter have called for Prem games to be brought forward. They should be listened to not administrators in the Rugby Premiership authority. Another positive point would be that another two rounds of Prem matches would be played outside the Six Nations season meaning that clubs would be able to field their strongest sides.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Re previous posts on the subject, the Heineken Cup and Challenge Cup have now been suspended by the organisers after the French Government directed that French teams must withdraw on coronavirus grounds, at least for the time being. The organisers hope the competitions can be resumed at a later date.

This will obviously lead to potential fixture congestion later in the season. Pat Lam, Bristol's director of rugby, wants English Premiership matches brought forward to fill the dates left by the suspension of the European competitions.

It remains to be seen how the French Government will react to its national team taking part in the Six Nations which begins early next month.

The latest suggestion is that the remaining group matches for the Heineken Cup will be scrapped and the top eight teams in each division as they now stand will go into the knockout stage with quarter-finals being played over one match instead of the originally planned two legs. That still depends on the French Government that now seems to be running European rugby, or so it appears, agreeing to let its clubs participate if and when the competition resumes.

In many people's eyes the competition has already been devalued with teams being awarded 28-0 wins over Covid cancellations. If the new suggestion comes into force it means that teams will progress into the knockout stage from an only partly-completed league stage which in my view devalues it even more.

I understand the reason which is to avoid fixture congestion later in the season.

It will be interesting to see if the French Government bans Paris St-Germain from continuing its progress in the Champions League next month. If it does I can't see UEFA being as accommodating as the rugby authorities. PSG would likely be shown the door with its opponent (Barcelona) awarded the tie.

If the remaining governments decide to proceed with the Nations tournament, can they remove France from the next edition? Maybe invite another nation to step in? Romania or Georgia perhaps seeing South Africa has Virus issues!

I would be prepared to award the team left without a game if France withdraw, the points if the tournament proceeds as it would be deemed safe to continue. The IRB would have final say as the governing body.

The French Government is demanding certain assurances from the governments of the other countries in the Six Nations before it allows France to compete. That's up to the French Government but if it isn't satisfied rugby should proceed as the Five Nations this year as used to be the case before the arrival of Italy.

There is a sanction available but clubs appear unaware, withdrawal of the Safety Certificate. This has been done at Old Trafford stadium whereby sections have been closed due to persistent standing and the same sanction could be used if behaviour of individuals risks the health and safety of those in attendance.

Clubs and players have already been told that players must avoid unnecessary physical contact on the pitch but they are patently ignoring this stricture as evidenced as recently as this week in the Premier League with the usual hugs and kisses following goals being scored.

I read today that further meetings are to be held between the Premier League and clubs to reinforce the message. I also read recently that referees won't be given power to issue yellow cards for such behaviour but instead compliance officers will attend matches. To what end doesn't seem clear if no action is then taken against offending players and clubs.

One Premier League manager - I forget which one - said recently that players are so hyped up when a goal is scored and the adrenalin flows that celebrations are difficult to stop. Are these extravagantly-paid Premier League players so indisciplined and unprofessional?

 

[JENNYJET]

Yes, as undisciplined as a school because education is too good for them. I am not certain but that manager could have been OLG as his expression of English is not perfect as is my Norwegian! However, the bubble arrangements seem to convince players they are safe amongst themselves whilst forgetting their families. As for onfield sanctions, FIFA need to empower officials but we know how long it took for managers and coaches to be red carded for being abusive.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Despite the repeated instructions of the football authorities this week that players should not hug and kiss or even shake hands after scoring goals the response in the Premier League and EFL was mixed yesterday. Some teams such as Leicester City seemed to have taken on board the message but in others, notably in the Wolves v WBA game, they could not resist the usual lovefest. In fact, Sam Allardyce the WBA manager seemed to regard the whole matter as light-hearted as did the MOTD team when discussing it.

I didn't hear it but my wife said she heard Big Sam saying in an interview how difficult it was for players not to hug each other after an important goal. I do feel so sorry for them. After all, it's not as if hugging a goalscorer is a flippant occurrence such as grandparents being unable to see or hug their grandchildren for many, many months because of the pandemic.

Despite the seriousness of it all I did smile at a Matt cartoon in the Daily Telegraph yesterday. It depicted players scribbling on pieces of paper following a goal saying, "Dear Colleague, Just a quick note to say what an excellent goal that was".

 

[JENNYJET]

It was wonderful to watch Test Cricket on C4 today, India v. England at Chennai with all four tests being free to watch. I shall not comment on the day's play as a highlights programme is due later.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

It was wonderful to watch Test Cricket on C4 today, India v. England at Chennai with all four tests being free to watch. I shall not comment on the day's play as a highlights programme is due later.

I managed to watch an hour or so yesterday and today. Very good performance by England. They now have to bowl well on what might be a deteriorating wicket. Get the heavy roller on tomorrow morning to try to break it up a bit.

Whilst on the subject of Covid-affected sport the Scotland rugby team gained a long-awaited win over England at Twickenham today. I was only able to watch bits and pieces of the game on the telly, but from what I saw Scotland outplayed England and thoroughly deserved their win. They could easily have won by a bigger margin.

England were poor but can only play as well as the opposition allows. Food for thought for Eddie Jones. A bad sporting weekend for me except for the cricket. Bristol Bears were outmuscled by Sale last night who returned to Greater Manchester with the spoils; an abysmal Bristol City were bullied by a giant-size Cardiff City team this afternoon who deservedly won; and now England this evening.

Mind you, apart from the occasional glimpse of promise from our rugby and cricket teams we are used to having bad sporting weekends, weeks, months, years and decades in the West Country when it comes to the major professional team sports.

I wonder when crowds will be allowed back into matches in England. Not this football or rugby season for sure and it remains to be seen when or if crowds can attend county cricket and test matches at some point in the coming summer.

 

[superking]

With Bristol city sacked the manager they just as well kept him as with the ew manager there is nothing new. If they kept the departed manager they would have saved money and kept going as they are now.City done it on the cheap yet again.