This is the protocol that the AFA presented to return to training in clubs

Photo: Maxi Failla

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The words of Santiago Cafiero spoken during the evening of Sunday were not accidental,

The chief of staff said, I think (Marcelo) Gallardo's sayings are in line with what we want to do. We are defining the protocols necessary for training to return. We are working with the Ministry of Health on this in order to move forward. And at this time while in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area it is debated about the toughening of the quarantine, the AFA took an important step a protocol has already been drawn up so that the players can return to practices.

The document that Clarín accessed has 3 pages and is the summary that is already in the possession of Claudio Tapia and Marcelo Tinelli presidents of the mother house of Viamonte and the Professional Soccer League (LPF). The original has 20 veneers. It was made by the AFA Medical Department based on the Spanish protocol which is already applied in La Liga. And it turns out after all a light in the midst of uncertainty.

A key issue is testing. At a cost of 500 pesos each taking into account the recommendation to subject each member of the campus to 5 monthly tests with a minimum group of 60 people and adding the payment of the trained personnel for the process each club will need to invest 750 thousand pesos every 30 days . The expense, indicates the AFA must be assumed by each institution. Even so, from Viamonte a subsidy of 200 thousand dollars will be provided that came down from Conmebol to use in the detection of Covid-19. For sure, it will go to the Ascent teams. Unlike what happened in the leagues in Europe training sessions will not be individual . They will start with groups of 6 distributed in turns or on courts depending on the infrastructure of each club. According to the work that was done with the team of doctors including Donato Villani coordinator of the area and Daniel Martínez in charge of the Argentine National Teams the protocol was divided into three sectors behavior in training, diagnosis and follow-up and measures for facilities and transfers.

Hygiene and distance in training

• Keep informed of the guidelines of the national authorities. These include public health recommendations and guidelines to control and prevent the spread of the virus.

• Respect the distance between people at least 1.5 meters.

• No more than 6 players per training session on the same court.

• Urge to maintain good hygiene.

• Wash your hands well use disinfectant.

• Avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose.

• Cough or sneeze into a handkerchief or hollow in the elbow, covering the mouth and nose.

• Throw the tissues in a sealed container.

• Disinfect sports equipment regularly, as well as areas where more people circulate.

• Avoid sharing sports equipment such as water bottles.

• Have strategies to limit contact / interaction. For example, in a building establish one way roads and keep doors open.

• Avoid shaking hands, colliding all five and any other physical contact.

• Avoid salivation, anywhere and in any way.

• Prohibit sharing any type of infusion, especially mate.

• Sleep and eat properly.

Perform tests and follow-up when necessary

• Follow the participants closely to warn typical symptoms of the flu isolate those affected and immediately contact the doctor in case of detecting respiratory conditions.

• Implement recommended protective measures including daily medical check ups from the scan for respiratory symptoms or fever to the Covid-19 laboratory test.

• Carry out specific tests of the respiratory cardiac and musculoskeletal systems as indicated by health professionals depending on availability exposure to the virus economic capacity and the level of competition.

• Carry out tests on soccer participants according to the availability and reliability of the tests. It is important that the evidence is public (that it is not obtained and used by depriving the national and local public health of it). The tests will only be used after scientific validation according to local availability and according to the instructions of the health authorities together with the correct training and understanding of the operation of the tests and the meaning of the results. In the future, it is highly likely that testing (both PCR and antibody) will become commonplace in group training, matches and travel.

• A proposed procedure for checking the Covid-19 would be the following:

Perform the test COVID-19 to all players who return to professional football to protect and strengthen confidence and mental health within the team around him.

1. The first test will be carried out 72 hours before resuming football activity to avoid false negatives (asymptomatic people carrying the virus).

2. The second test will be carried out before the first training session and then weekly.

3. Afterwards, the soccer participants will be tested either at home or in the places indicated in the clubs by the doctors following the hygiene guidelines and the recommended protection measures. There is the option to test without leaving the vehicle itself.

4. Those participants in soccer who test positive will not be able to carry out any soccer activity and must follow the recommendations of the country's health authorities.

5. Only those who test negative will be able to participate in football activities.

Travel and facility precautions, including hotel and home stays.

• Disinfect the means of transport used to attend games or training.

• Disinfect the place of accommodation, the places where meals are prepared and the distribution channels.

• Work with minimal staff to reduce the risk of contagion.

• Apply and maintain physical distance measures.

When will the schools return to training? August is the most likely date although it is not ruled out that Primera clubs can return earlier. The leaders are putting pressure.

Tapia said, he wants equality and that the teams will only start working when the whole country is in phase 4. At this juncture it will not be possible for now.