Doctors from four Premier League clubs ‘tell league restart is NOT safe’

Doctors from four Premier League clubs tell the league that a restart is NOT safe in a 100-point letter issued this week.

Medics have written a long letter to the Premier League’s medical advisor, Mark Gillett, and director of football Richard Garlick listing 100 questions and potential problems on Project Restart.

The letter has been split into ten sections revealing concerns yet to be discussed, including:

“Approving guidelines that still carry risk of death.”
“Liability, insurance and testing for players, staff and their families.”
“Possible transmission via sweat and goalkeeper gloves.”
“Suspicions that some clubs are already ignoring guidelines.”
“Increased risk for black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups.”
“Ability of emergency services to attend training ground incidents.”

Premier League club doctors were invited to express any concerns they they had with teams starting to return to training throughout May.

It will consist of doing it in small groups whilst also sticking to lockdown and social distancing guidelines.

The plan is still to resume matches form the 12th of June, however they need to wait until they have the green light from the government.

Teams will need around four weeks of training before then in order to get players match fit to reduce the risk of injuries.

PFA chief Gordon Taylor has suggested games could be SHORTER – and with more substitutions allowed in games.

Taylor said: “We don’t know the future… what we do know is what propositions have been put forward and ideas.

“More subs, games possibly not being full 45 minutes each way, neutral stadiums… there’s lots of things put forward.

“We’re trying to wait to see what proposals are and have the courtesy to let the managers and coaches and players assimilate all those and come to a considered view.”

Fans reacted after finding out that doctors from four Premier League clubs ‘tell league restart is NOT safe’…

Unless there is a vaccine, I don’t see how we can fully mitigate the risk. As such we have a choice. Play football under the most safe conditions we can or bin football off for 1-2 years (minimum).

— Kam Jannati (@kjannati) May 6, 2020

West ham,brighton,bournemouth and villa…..I’ll put money on it

— Adam Barlow (@AdamPaulBarlow) May 6, 2020

Them doctors be like pic.twitter.com/STqVFleKKh

— MK ?? (from ?) (@SuperKova17) May 6, 2020

The bottom 4 no doubt

— Darren C (@darren_carrie) May 6, 2020

I imagine there will be more than four

— phil (@ps9192) May 6, 2020

Playing football isn’t safe during a pandemic. pic.twitter.com/ejZXjxmzVH

— Kieren Rees (@kieren_rees) May 5, 2020

Not just football, either, but all sports, schools and indoor workplaces. Can’t 100% guarantee safety in any of them so I guess we all should stay in our homes for two years

— Dennis Bakke (@dwbakke) May 5, 2020

Glad that the doctors are speaking out on this. PL club owners have shown that they’re fine with disregarding the concerns of players and matchday staff. Hopefully they’ll be more inclined to listen to the doctors.

— Braden (@DarthBrader3) May 5, 2020

So we just live in fear & never get back to any normal until it’s 100% safe! Life has never worked like that & football clubs will go bust if we go down this road… every business in the country is trying to re-start & adjust to the “new normal” football needs to do the same ??‍♂️

— Greg Taylor ⚒ (@d0nkeydr0p) May 5, 2020