FIFA, WHO Draft Medical Considerations Ahead Football Resumption

FIFA, WHO Draft Medical Considerations Ahead Football Resumption

By Niyi Busari

FIFA is sharing a football risk assessment tool with its 211 member associations, the six continental confederations and other stakeholders in order to facilitate the planning of the resumption of football activities by competition and match organisers, as soon as health authorities and governments consider it safe.

It has been developed in conjunction with the World Health Organization (WHO), UEFA, the European Club Association (ECA), FIFPRO, the World Leagues Forum and European Leagues, includes a list of mitigation measures that aim to reduce the overall risk of mass gatherings contributing to the spread of COVID-19, as well as indications for individual and group training by football teams.

The risk assessment tool is being shared together with the FIFA medical recommendations document, which is a first result of the FIFA COVID-19 Medical Working Group that was established on 16 April 2020 and which comprises the two FIFA medical leads, a medical/scientific representative of each of the six confederations, and external consultants.

The WHO and the FIFA Medical Committee also contributed to the document.

The aim of this joint effort is to consider the health of all participants in footballing activities, the risk assessments and the factors that need to be in place in order for football, both at a professional and at an amateur level, to resume safely. The recommendations of the group are meant to be implemented in conjunction with international and national guidance on public health and mass gatherings.

Football governing bodies are encouraged to liaise with the relevant public health authorities and to undertake a comprehensive risk assessment to determine whether it is safe to proceed.

The important guiding principle is that the resumption of footballing activities should not compromise the health of individuals or the community. Furthermore, the return to play should be based on objective health information to ensure that activities are conducted safely and do not risk increased local COVID-19 transmission rates.