Shortened isolation to bring back positive players faster, the LFP adapts its health protocol to government decisions

It is a new 79-page health protocol eagerly awaited by many clubs as cases of Covid-19 multiply as the days go by in French football. This Tuesday, the LFP must officially unveil it after the latest government announcements, in particular on the isolation of positive cases, in recent days. Unsurprisingly, the authorities have decided to focus on them.

A player with a complete vaccination schedule will have to respect a seven-day isolation period. However, after five days, he will be able to exit if his antigen test or RT-PCR is negative and he has not had clinical signs of infection for 48 hours. For those who have an incomplete vaccination schedule, it will be a ten day isolation, and only seven if the player fulfills the same conditions mentioned above.

The only real small adjustment lies in the resumption of collective training and competition. Until now, the player could not replay until D + 18 after the declaration of his first symptoms or his positive test, with in between a period of individual training off the field. Now, according to information from 20 Minutes, he can resume from D + 13 in the absence of symptoms and having tested negative after five days of isolation. Otherwise, it will be D + 15 or D + 18.

Nothing new on the tests?

On the other hand, there would be nothing new on the tests despite the annoyance of certain coaches (Gourvennec and Genesio) who have denounced the lack of uniformity on this subject for several days. The LFP would continue to count on the good citizenship of the clubs to carry out the screening. The Losc coach:

“Between the clubs which test and those which do not test, it created troubles in my opinion. For now, the protocol does not require testing, that’s a problem. Look at the clubs that have not communicated on their Covid cases and you will know who is testing and who is not. Simply. I agree with Bruno a little [Genesio] on that. He is basically right. It lacks clarity. We would have to align everyone, that would be better. “

Bordeaux-OM still holds on to one case, Lille-Lorient to four

To illustrate this new health protocol, just take the example of the Girondins de Bordeaux team and its 19 cases of Covid-19 since December 17 (plus two young people not registered on the LFP list). Players tested positive between December 17 and 21 (Oudin, Bakwa, Gregersen, Mara, Sissokho, Lacoux, Poussin, Mexer, Kwateng), all vaccinated, will be able to play the match against OM this Friday despite a surely precarious physical condition. . On the other hand, the last ten cases (Costil, Mangas, Medioub, Koscielny, Fansergio, Adli, Zerkane, Otavio, Niang and Kalu), tested on December 28 and 29, will not be able to.

However, to legally request the postponement of a match as the Girondins wish to do because of the state of its troops, you must have at least 11 players unavailable due to a Covid-19 infection on the list of 30 sent to the LFP at the start of the season, or not be able to field at least one goalkeeper on the scoresheet.

If the Navy and White will have a goalkeeper available (Poussin and / or Rouyard), they will be able to request the postponement of the match to the next positive case, the players having to undergo a new PCR test on Tuesday. Finally, last possible scenario, one of the players authorized to resume competition for this match still suffers from significant symptoms and the club then reserves the right to request the postponement on an exceptional basis.

The match between Angers and Saint-Etienne postponed due to the Covid via @20minutesSport https://t.co/LwPXsZ1kV5

— 20 Minutes Sport (@20minutesSport) December 31, 2021

Another match pending at this stage, Lille-Lorient scheduled for Saturday. Le Losc has counted seven positive cases since the resumption of training. Four more cases by the kick-off and the northern club may also request a postponement. As a reminder, the Angers – ASSE meeting has already been postponed with the discovery of 19 positive cases within the SCO first team last week.