Project Restart: Player safety must come first, says shadow sports minister Alison McGovern
It must be made public should a player test positive for COVID-19 after "Project Restart" is given the go-ahead
Tuesday 12 May 2020 17:24, UK
Plans to restart the football season are continuing this week, but there are fears the season could restart only to stop again amid health concerns caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Shadow sports minister Alison McGovern MP has compiled a list of 20 questions in a letter to the government this week, asking how the season can start again safely.
- Forty precent chance PL season will be cancelled - club owner
- Nev: Points-per-game relegation is unfair
McGovern is insistent it must be made public what would happen should a Premier League footballer test positive for Covid-19 after Project Restart is given the go-ahead.
"There have to be clear instructions," McGovern told Sky Sports News.
"The safety of all going back to work comes first, footballers have families just like everyone else."
She added that medical professionals working in sport were best placed to give advice on how a return to training and eventually play would look.
"The medical professionals working in football are some of the best in the country, their perspective must be respected… independent voices must be heard, allow Doctors to be heard."
McGovern, who is a Liverpool fan, believes the best way for the season to restart is by building confidence and being transparent.
She is an advocate of players having a key voice in the decision to return to work and their opinions need to be listened to as they are often best placed to understand health risks.
While efforts to restart the season are ongoing, it is now known the 'curtailment' of the season was discussed during a Premier League shareholders meeting on Monday.
Should the season be cancelled it may well prevent Liverpool from being crowned Premier League Champions, a scenario that McGovern acknowledged would be difficult, but understandable: "For Liverpool fans the last 30 years have had ups and downs, we've had the most amazing season and of course it would be difficult emotionally (should the season be cancelled), but there is a bigger picture of public health. There is always another season."
The Shadow Minister also urged the Government to look carefully at how Germany will restart the Bundesliga this weekend and to reach out to many countries to learn lessons on how sport can safely be restarted.
