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Coronavirus and Sports

Sporting KC To Test Players As MLS Moves Toward June Restart

Sporting KC has been devising a protocol to begin training as soon as the tests have been administered

Sporting KC starting late this week or early next "will provide coronavirus and antibody test kits for its players in a gradual move to integrate small-group training at its practice facilities," according to Shaun Goodwin of the K.C. STAR. Coach Peter Vermes said, "We’re not required to take tests at this time, but we’re going to kind of do a trial run to see where everyone is and see how we would perform that going forward." Goodwin notes the "next step is for every team to procure testing kits and produce safety protocols that continue to put player safety first." Vermes said that MLS has "already requested that every team work with local companies to acquire testing kits." The "idea is not only to avoid taking important testing kits away from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but also to allow teams to get results back quickly." SKC also has been "devising a protocol for allowing players to begin small-group training as soon as the tests have been administered." Players still will be be "required to complete protocols already in place, such as temperature checks and completing health questionnaires every night before bed and each morning when they awaken" (K.C. STAR, 5/14).

ORLANDO PLAN TAKING SHAPE: THE ATHLETIC's Sam Stejskal cited sources as saying MLS is "proposing that all teams travel to and begin training in Orlando" by June 1. Players, coaches and staff "would essentially be quarantined for the first week in Florida," and only in the third week "would teams be allowed to hold full training sessions." Games would begin on June 22 and "likely run for four or five weeks," but family members "would not be allowed to travel with teams to Orlando." It is unclear how competition would be structured, though it would "likely include some type of round-robin format followed by knockout matches and a consolation bracket." Testing remains an issue, as at least 1,000 people from MLS and its teams "would have to travel to Florida for the proposed tournament." Sources said that their general expectation was that "all of those people would be tested at least twice per week" (THEATHLETIC.com, 5/12). In Minneapolis, Jerry Zgoda reports MLS during a call yesterday "presented the concept to its players." However, many "logistical and vital safety details must be decided" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 5/14). 

MAKES THE MOST SENSE: In Vancouver, J.J. Adams notes with home games in some markets “looking less and less likely, it made sense the hub destination solution was the leading candidate for MLS returning to action.” Whitecaps Sporting Dir Axel Schuster said it "looks like we will not be able to go back in our home-market stadium" in the short term. Schuster: "We have two countries, we have a lot of United States and three provinces in Canada. And every market is different. We will never start with the whole league if we wait for every single market. So that’s a reason why they look at (Orlando)” (VANCOUVER SUN, 5/14).

RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME? In Orlando, Iliana Limon Romero noted the city makes sense because it "isn't a coronavirus hot spot." Orlando City Exec VP/Soccer Operations Luiz Muzzi said, "If this was a league in Orlando, man, I feel like we could have started last week because conditions are different" (ORLANDO SENTINEL 5/13).

 

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