Egyptian League: EFA Set Out Guidelines As League Resume On Thursday

Egyptian League: EFA Set Out Guidelines As League Resume On Thursday

By Admin

The Egyptian Premier League will restart on Thursday after nearly five months of suspension due to the spread of the coronavirus.

Following are a raft of precautionary measures, protocols and requirements for Egyptian Premier League clubs to host matches at their stadiums:

Stadiums will be divided into three areas:

-Area A: Will include the pitch, the players' tunnel and the locker rooms. Only 100 persons will be allowed in that area, including players, staffs, referees, ball boys, medics and cameramen. Twenty-six persons from each team are allowed to be present in this area.

-Area B: The zone surrounding the A area, which will include 100 security personnel, stadium workers, clubs officials and journalists.

-Area C: The surroundings of the stadium, which will include from 70 to 100 security personnel, broadcast officials and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) units.

Each team is expected to submit an attendee list two days before a match. Players and non-playing staff of every club will also undergo a PCR test one day before the match.

The host team will be responsible for the disinfection process and preparing the stadium, while an EFA medical committee official will ensure that all precautions are applied.

Everyone's temperature will be measured upon arrival.

The shirt colors of each team will be sent to the clubs by email ahead of the game.

Each team will enter the pitch separately.

Handshakes before the game and during substitutions as well as exchanging jerseys will not be permitted.

The number of players present in locker rooms before, after and between games will be decreased.

The hosts will arrive at stadiums first and leave after the away team.

Gloves and face masks must be worn all the time.

Players have to wear new shirts after the first half.

Each team is allowed to make five substitutions, albeit over three times to prevent time wasting.

Each team is allowed to include 20 players instead of 18 in the match squad.

Only 26 persons are allowed to be present in buses and if the number exceeds that, the club must divide them into two buses, taking into account the required safe distance (2m) in buses or planes.

Only 6 staff members are allowed to sit on the bench.

Referees will have a PCR test one day before the game.

Journalists will be seated in a separate section in the stadium, taking into consideration social distancing guidelines. They won't be allowed to enter the A area, and journalists who can use microphones will make their interviews from distance.

16 cameramen are allowed onto the pitch on condition that they wear gloves and face masks.

Most of the Egyptian Premier League teams have made 7 PCR tests ahead of the competition's resumption.

El-Entag El-Harby are the only team to have their game delayed after 19 players and non-playing staff tested positive for the coronavirus.

The EFA gave clubs the green light to resume training in July after a four-month suspension due to the pandemic.