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Playing with the Coronavirus

The FA’s guidance wants Clubs to promote the use of masks in crowded indoor
settings, as well as suggesting the implementation of a testing policy for players
and staff, 48 hours prior to any fixture. A study undertaken by Cognisant
Research with 13 Western League players around Christmas 2021, highlighted
the importance of the managers role in players matchday routines and whilst
Club Chairman and Covid Officers can have important parts to play, it’s essential
for all three to be working together to reinforce the importance in adhering to
matchday Covid protocols, designed to keep players safe.

Football is no different to any other aspect of society in that spectators and
participants demonstrate a spectrum of different attitudes towards Covid, from
genuine concern about the impact of the virus to a belief that it simply nothing
to worry about. That is why it’s important influencers like Club Officials, coaches
and senior players to be proactive in ensuring that everyone in the game is
behaving responsibly. One of the key challenges identified by the Cognisant study
was the contradictory nature of some of the Governments Covid advice. The idea
that you can mark a player at a corner, but not share a car with them after the
game, or limit who goes into a changing room, only to share a crowded bar or
nightclub with the very same teammates.

That is why it’s important to remember that someone else is making these rules
and the FA and the Clubs are doing their best to enforce them. Clubs looking to
maintain Covid protocols should facilitate an open discussion on the measures
they wish to maintain, allowing players to discuss what they consider to be
reasonable and providing them with an opportunity to buy-in to a common
approach, even if they may have personal reservations concerning their validity.

The future of the 2021/22 football season still hangs in the balance, with
concerns about a winter surge, not to mention any fixture disruption caused by
the British weather. We can all do our bit to help minimise the spread of the virus
and football is no different. Spectators, coaches and players all have a part to
play in keeping our beautiful going each week, this is a challenge that unites us
all, but we will only succeed if we work together.

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