BOLA – La Liga expects an increase in positive cases and clarifies the postponement of matches (La Liga)

Regarding questions about the possible postponement of the Liga and Liga 2 matches, the body headed by Pedro Proença issued a statement on Tuesday. So there is no doubt.

This is the full statement:

“The League, with its 34 sports associations, with full attention to the current times, has used all the legal and regulatory mechanisms of the League and League 2 to end the 2021/22 season. Ensuring the work that is being done is unequivocal, even as cases of Covid-19 occur around the world, with the predominance of the alternative, Omicron, which – statistics tell us – is generally less aggressive, and also more contagious.

An increase in positive cases in the coming days, health experts predict, is a requirement for professional football, but we all expect it. The medical departments of the teams have been fully involved to ensure and ensure all safety conditions and the league which has always tried to mediate in any situation that arises between clubs, will stick to what is regulated, which is to apply the applicable and voted rule. At the General Assembly meeting on December 21, 2021.

Under the regulations, when there is an outbreak of Covid-19 in a squad of one of the sports associations participating in League or League 2, the path is set in relation to a possible postponement.

In this sense, and in order to provide accurate knowledge to all those who exercise the functions and have a general clarification intervention on these issues, we disclose the following information:

1 – Under what circumstances can a league match or League 2 be postponed to face the SARS pandemic?

– The team in question has, obviously, fewer than 13 players (including the goalkeeper) from the list of registered players, who are able to play. The decision in these cases will be made by the university president and CEO. This amendment is in effect, following a proposal made and voted on in the General Assembly, on December 21, 2021, for Article 46-a of the Liga Portugal Competition Regulations.

2 – Is this the only form of delay?

– It is possible, with more than 13 players, for the club to request a postponement of the opponent, who may or may not accept the request. In such circumstances, in connection with such postponements, the Association shall be bound by what regulates them.

3 – Does the league accept postponing if there is an agreement between the clubs?

– In the event that there was an express agreement between the two clubs on the postponement, the League did not object to the situation, provided that the applicable rules regarding the postponement are adhered to, with free dates in the calendar and with the consent of the TV operator.

4 – In what circumstances can the Association apply Article 46-a?

– The unfitness of the players of a particular team must be proven until the start of the match by the following entities or persons:

Directorate General of Health, in the case of positive SARS-CoV-2 testing and/or preventive isolation of players on the team;

A doctor from the National Health Service, in the event of an outbreak of an infectious, viral or other bacterial disease, which determines the inability to play; with your label, which is delivered to the association within 24 hours; Liga, through the player’s penalty history, if a disciplinary suspension sanction is complied with.

5 – Does the game have deadlines that must be rescheduled, in case it gets postponed due to the SARS-Cov 2 outbreak?

– When a match has been postponed by a team of under 13 players (including the goalkeeper) – in accordance with Article 46a – it must be rescheduled for the period between the fifth and the fifteenth, counting the interruption of the team’s general unfitness. In the event that a team’s sports calendar is not available during that time period, a rescheduling is performed for the first available calendar date. However, no date can be set for him beyond the weekend following the official date of the last round of the tournament organized by Liga Portugal.

6 – If the match is postponed by mutual agreement, how is it rescheduled?

Sports associations must submit a written agreement for league services and the deadline for deferment must comply with the regulations established in terms of deadlines for deferment, complying with the procedure set forth in the competition regulations. The league agrees, under no circumstances, to reschedule the match.

7 – Are there more countries or competitions where the minimum number of players is 13?

Yes, the association has followed international good practice when considering organizational change. Below, some references to European organizations and leagues, with the minimum number of players available for matches.

Spain – 13 (with 5 from the first team)

England – 13 plus a goalkeeper

Italy – 13

Israel – 13

Romania – 13

Poland – 13

UEFA – 13

– Germany – 16 (with nine first-team members and one goalkeeper)

France – 20 (from a shortlist of 30)

Aware of the difficulties that sports associations will face in the coming times, which, according to experts of the Directorate General of Health, can be mitigated through mass vaccination, the association stresses the care that we must all take, such as use. of a face mask, in any case, wash and disinfect hands frequently and test, whenever possible or in case of contact with positive SARS-CoV-2 virus.”