The English Premier League (EPL) is looking to restart its season this week. BBC reports that clubs such as Arsenal, Brighton and West Ham have opened their training grounds to players for individual work on 27 April 2020.
The league hopes to restart the season potentially on 8 June, with plans of finishing at the end of July. If the plan runs smoothly, this would allow team schedules to fit in with UEFA’s European competition plans, and therefore require training to resume by 18 May.
BBC added that high-ranking clubs are scheduled to meet on 1 May to discuss options for the restart, as well as deciding on “approved stadiums” and confirming their criterias for hosting the games. Additionally, the report also cited that the upcoming EPL matches are expected to be held behind closed doors without audiences, with the league considering making some games available to be aired for free.
That said, whether the league is allowed to restart or not is still dependent on the British government’s approval, especially in terms of health checks and social distancing guidelines. The UK’s senior medical officials are also scheduled to meet this week to discuss the health protocols for matches held behind closed doors.
The EPL suspended all games since 13 March and was expected to restart on 3 April, if the situation improves. However, the date to resume activities had been pushed back yet again due to the continuing efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the league’s decision to hastily restart the season does seem rather concerning, given the current situation at hand.
(Source: BBC)
