Coronavirus: EFL toughens protocol stance by urging clubs to properly investigate player breaches
EFL has sent a letter to Championship, League One and League Two players warning them that sanctions await for individuals who flout Covid-19 regulations; EFL has asked players to comply with greater social distancing during games including when celebrating goals
Friday 15 January 2021 16:11, UK
The English Football League has urged clubs to "properly investigate and sanction any individual transgressions where appropriate" concerning coronavirus protocol breaches and has told players to "exercise constraint" when celebrating goals.
In a letter sent by EFL's CEO Trevor Birch, the League has reminded clubs' players and staff to comply with updated regulations aimed at enforcing greater social distancing on the pitch during games and introducing more hygienic practices, in an effort to reduce the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on football.
The Premier League, EFL, and the FA also released a joint statement on Thursday detailing that newly enhanced Covid-19 protocols must be strictly adhered to for the remainder of the 2020/21 campaign so that the season can be completed as scheduled.
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Aston Villa versus Everton originally scheduled for Sunday is the latest top-flight match to have been called off amid pandemic-related issues while the Championship, League One, and League Two were hit with a spate of postponements over the festive period and New Year because of the virus.
The redoubled efforts come after a number of players across English professional football breached coronavirus compliance guidelines over Christmas.
The letter sets out the following measures...
• Social distancing must be maintained whenever possible - in the warm-up, when entering and leaving the pitch, and at all times with the match officials.
• Players should also exercise constraint during goal celebrations.
• Face coverings must be worn at all times except during a warm-up, during the match, transitioning to and from the dressing room to the pitch and during post-match interviews.
• Substitutes must wear face masks unless engaging in the above activities.
• There must be no handshakes, high fives or hugging or spitting or nose-clearing.
• Players must use their own water bottles.
• Players should not surround any match official.
• Players should not become involved in mass confrontations.
Birch added: "With your continued support, we are confident that we can see out the conclusion to the current season but it will require additional flexibility and co-operation as we navigate our way through what is likely to be the trickiest weeks and months of the pandemic.
"Our ask today is simple - we need you to keep following the protocols that have been designed, first and foremost to protect you as individuals in the workplace and your families when you return home. Medical advice remains that these are the best way to mitigate against the spread of the infection.
"The re-introduction of twice-weekly testing, kindly funded by the PFA, is enabling us to help with early identification of asymptomatic individuals, further strengthening the procedures in place - however, preventing the spread has to be our starting off point.
"Understandably, players are subject to intense scrutiny and whilst this on occasions can be unfair, we have to take responsibility and lead by example when the eyes of a global audience of football fans, broadcasters and media is upon us.
"As we continue to remind your Clubs on almost a daily basis, compliance with the guidance gives us the best chance of continuing and completing the season; but we also have an obligation to ensure public, government and stakeholder confidence in these protocols, and that individual transgressions by relevant persons are properly investigated and sanctioned by Clubs where appropriate.
"Clearly, we want to avoid any further negativity at what is an incredibly testing time and hopefully by pulling together, following the rules and preventing further spread of the virus we can keep doing what we do - playing football matches."
Meanwhile, the Premier League and PGMOL have also written to referees urging officials to remind players of their responsibilities concerning social distancing during matches, especially when celebrating goals.
In updated Premier League protocols, players have been asked to comply with social distancing regulations before and after matches.
They have also been advised to avoid spitting and clearing their noses, refrain from shaking hands or hugging, and told not to swap shirts at the end of matches.
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has defended players celebrating goals in groups warning that new protocols will be tough to implement.
