Football bosses warned to put house in order after players broke Covid rules

Football’s last chance: Government DID discuss stopping sport during new lockdown with Premier League and FA bosses warned that spiralling cases and players flouting Covid rules could spark a shutdown

  • Football has displayed ‘weak management’ by not tackling rule-breakers
  • Public health experts players who break rules should be banned for six weeks
  • Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden warned football bosses to put house in order 

Culture secretary Oliver Dowden has warned English football’s leaders to get their house in order after a shutdown of sport was discussed as part of the nation’s new lockdown.

In meetings on Monday, the Government came under pressure to call a halt to elite sport only for the Department for Culture Media and Sport to resist, claiming sport currently does more harm than good.

But with coronavirus cases in the Premier League doubling this week and players at major clubs flouting lockdown rules to host and attend parties over Christmas and New Year, the pressure is rising.

The Telegraph report that even some senior figures within football want the season suspended and the behaviour of rule-breaking players is said to be making carrying on with sport more difficult to defend.

The Premier League, lower-league EFL and Football Association have all failed to take action against players, leaving it to clubs who have minimised punishments for their highly-paid employees.

Forty players and staff tested positive for the virus in the latest rounds of Premier League testing this week and games continue to be called off in the EFL with fears of more postponements as the FA Cup third-round approaches next weekend.

Three Spurs stars and a West Ham player (identified above) broke rules to party despite Covid-19 restrictions being in place over the Christmas period

Three Spurs stars and a West Ham player (identified above) broke rules to party despite Covid-19 restrictions being in place over the Christmas period

Crystal Palace captain Luka Milivojevic (left) was seen breaking Covid rules at a New Year’s Eve party with Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic (right)

Crystal Palace captain Luka Milivojevic (left) was seen breaking Covid rules at a New Year’s Eve party with Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic (right)

Women’s football, which restarts next weekend, faces a slew of postponed matches after a number of players tested positive for Covid – most notably at Arsenal and Manchester City after their stars took holidays in Dubai during the winter break.  

Those issues leave have elite sport at risk of losing the privileges it is currently afforded, by continuing while most other activities have been curtailed.

Today, a leading expert in public health told Sportsmail that players,who flagrantly ignore the rules the nation has had to follow should be banned for up to six weeks – and the FA needs to take responsibility.

Tottenham’s Sergio Reguilon, Erik Lamela and Giovani Lo Celso partied with West Ham’s Manuel Lanzini on Christmas Day, breaking strict Tier 4 rules about gatherings. Spurs have fined their players but allowed them to continue playing.

Crystal Palace captain Luka Milivojevic played after breaking Covid rules at a New Year’s Eve party with Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic and Benjamin Mendy has not be taken out of Manchester City’s squad despite hosting his own New Year gathering.

Currently, nobody is willing to take responsibility for tackling the breaches. The Premier League believes it is a matter for the clubs and suggests its own protocols do not extend beyond match days and training. The EFL believes the FA should act, but the FA says its rules do not extend to Covid rule breaches.

‘It is weak management,’ said Professor Keith Neale, an expert in public health at the University of Nottingham. ‘They should give them a six-week ban if players breach the rules put in place for colleagues’ protection.

‘Football authorities are taking a risk by not dealing with “covidiots”. I do not want to ban football, but I do want to make it safe.’

Meanwhile, a senior figure within one of the Premier League’s television rights holders has today described the breach of Covid rules by footballers as ‘disgusting;’. 

Manchester City left back Benjamin Mendy hosted a New Year's Eve party at his mansion

Manchester City left back Benjamin Mendy hosted a New Year’s Eve party at his mansion

Manchester City's Kyle Walker tested positive for coronavirus on Christmas Day

Eric Garcia, Manchester City defender, tested positive for coronavirus ahead of the game against Chelsea

Manchester City were without six players for their match against Chelsea on Sunday, who had tested positive for coronavirus,  including Kyle Walker and Eric Garcia. The number of positive Covid tests in the Premier League reached 40 in the last round of testing

source: dailymail.co.uk