Premier League players are fighting capitalism which ‘forces’ them into risky matches in the middle of the corona virus pandemic.
Bundesliga is an example of the success of football against the ‘fear’ of the danger of corona virus transmission which is difficult to guess.
With a strict health protocol, the highest caste competition the German League had successfully held matches over the past two weeks. Held closed from the audience and requires the Covid-19 test some time before competing.
Positive welcome came from around the world. Where football competition can be held again in the middle of the ‘ghost’ corona virus that is still haunting.
The Spanish league has also decided to continue the competition on 8 June. The English league also does not want to be left behind in the footsteps of other European leagues.
Italy, one of the European countries with the most number of corona positive cases, also has an ‘itching’ effect. Most clubs even hold internal training.
So far there has been no serious rejection from Spanish and Italian League footballers. In fact, classmates Cristiano Ronaldo resigned to follow his club’s Juventus policy to hold training.
Previously, the Spanish League and Italian League players were also willing to have their salaries cut during the corona pandemic. The loud voice of the Italian League Professional Players Association (AIC), which refused to cut players’ salaries, slowly dimmed and was no longer heard.
Especially the Serie A stars almost no one loudly protested. Situations that make AIC also no longer want to ‘talk’ protest.
However, an anomaly occurred in England. Since the beginning the English League players through the Professional Footballers Association of England (PFA) have firmly rejected the idea of a 30 percent salary cut.
PFA Executive Director, Gordon Taylor, claims some well-established Premier League clubs plan to use government emergency regulations to cut staff salaries.
Some clubs intend to utilize the Employment Retention Scheme during the corona virus pandemic. The scheme is to only pay 80 percent of salary to prevent mass layoffs in the United Kingdom.
“Utilizing a government regulation scheme with conditions that actually do not require financial assistance will harm the wider community,” Taylor was quoted as saying by Mirror.
“Although we have the authority to protect members, throughout history, we have also done our best to protect broader interests,” he continued.
A number of parties including the British Health Minister, Matt Hancock, also criticized the English League players who did not want to contribute by cutting their salaries.
Criticism arose after Premier League clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Norwich cut their staff salaries by 20 percent, but not with the players.
Players assume salary cuts will only help the club and the Premier League’s finances. While the main problem is the contribution to corona affected people.
Through the #PlayersTogether movement, the players raise donations for National Medical Service (National Health Service / NHS), as the frontline in handling Covid-19.
Until this moment, discussions between the Premier League and the PFA have never met an agreement. Differences of opinion reappeared when the Premier League plans to continue the competition during the lockdown.
Premier League plans to continue the competition in mid-June. This step was taken to reduce the potential for large losses due to suspension of competition since March.
Reported by the Sport Bible, the suspension makes the Premier League a big loss. So far, the total estimated losses have reached tens of trillions.
This amount does not include the loss of each club related game ticket refunds.
Chaotic Preparation
However, preparations titled Project Restart did not go smoothly. The players became alarmed after eight people were found positive after the corona test.
Six cases occurred in the mass corona virus test in the first wave. Three of them are from Watford.
Watford captain, Troy Deeney, refused to return to play for fear of his family’s health. Moreover Deeney has a five month old baby at his home.
Deeney claimed not to be afraid of being punished. His experience of bankruptcy made him not afraid of being poor if he had to pay a fine to the club for refusing to play.
A few days after Deeney’s refusal, there were two positive cases after the second wave corona test. One of them is the Bournemouth player who was not identified.
Aside from Deeney, Chelsea star N’Golo Kante has also asked for leave until the end of the season. The French midfielder is worried about his physical and mental health during the pandemic.
What is clear psychological Kante disturbed the potential of contracting corona. Moreover, he had a bad experience about health, which had passed out in front of his teammate two years ago.
Deeney and Kante’s decision was reasonable. Both are anxious and do not want to take health risks. The attitude that should be emulated by other players.
Eight positive cases of corona after undergoing the corona test should be the basis for delaying the Premier League Project Restart. Because, one person exposed can infect the entire team.
The rolling of the Premier League will certainly become entertainment during the Corona lockdown. However, interesting shows are not worth the athlete’s health risks.
Humanity must take precedence over the interests of capitalism. In the corona crisis, many capital owners are only concerned with profits and players who will be victims.
