Welsh Government give Cardiff City and Swansea City the green light to return to training
A statement released by the deputy minister for culture, sport and tourism says the Welsh Government will work alongside the clubs to ensure player safety
By Mathew Davies
Friday 22nd May 2020
The Welsh Government have given Cardiff City and Swansea City the green light to return to training next week.
In a statement issued on Thursday by Dafydd Elis Thomas, deputy minister for culture, sport and tourism, it was laid out that professional sportspeople in Wales could return to training "provided the clubs – as employers – can take all reasonable measures to maintain physical distancing in the workplace".
The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave clubs in England the all clear earlier this month to tentatively return to training but Wales adopted tighter restrictions, with health and sport devolved matters.
In a statement, Mr Thomas wrote:
"The Welsh coronavirus restrictions regulations require everyone to work from home where possible; where that is not possible, employers must take all reasonable measures to comply with the physical distancing duty. In a professional sporting context, this means that training for our professional sportspeople can continue provided the clubs – as employers – can take all reasonable measures to maintain physical distancing in the workplace, whether that’s at a training ground or at a stadium.
"Last week, clubs in the English Premier League and the Championship clubs in the English Football League (EFL) made it clear they want to conclude the domestic season. The EFL, involving Swansea City AFC and Cardiff City FC, has provided guidance to clubs to support their return to training from May 25.
"This guidance provides that football clubs should make a phased return to first-team training when it is safe to do so, based on medical and scientific advice. The EFL has produced a series of uniform operating procedures, applicable to all clubs, to ensure players and staff are returning to first team training in as safe an environment as possible.
"We will work alongside the clubs to ensure the health of the players, coaches and staff comes first.
"Resuming training for our professional sportspeople is an important first phase, which could lead to the resumption of competitive sport. Sport will resume in the future, initially behind closed doors, providing a source of broadcast entertainment during a period when mass gatherings may not be feasible. As yet there are no firm timescales for this to happen.
"The Welsh Government is liaising closely with Sport Wales, the Welsh Sports Association and the national governing bodies to develop an overall approach for the safe return of all sport."
Swansea have said their players will undergo coronavirus testing tomorrow (Friday), with non-contact training split over three pitches to maintain social distancing due to begin next Monday.
Head coach Steve Cooper said: “Safety will be our first priority and we will be following the protocol to the letter. We won’t be cutting any corners and the club and football staff have worked really well collectively to put everything in place for a safe return.”
Cooper added the club would speak to players over the weekend and said they would respect the feelings of any squad member who does not wish to return to training because of health concerns.
Swansea could restart their Championship campaign on June 20, according to latest reports.
The date could mean that English football’s second tier gets under way before the Premier League, with top-flight bosses pushing for a full month’s preparation before resuming their own campaign.
But there is a huge drive from the English Football League to get the campaign back up and running quickly and safely in order to finish the season before July 31, when nearly 40 percent of players’ contracts run out.
The league are now said to be targeting a June 20 resumption with an incredibly packed schedule, which includes playing on five Saturdays and four midweek slots in order to finish by July 18.
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