Premier League clubs ‘will discuss whether they would face corporate manslaughter prosecution if a player DIES from coronavirus’… as seven BAME stars refuse to train over fears of becoming infected
- Premier League clubs expected to vote for return to full contract training
- But executives are still seeking answers and clarifications to their concerns
- One executive reportedly asked who is liable if a player dies of Covid-19
- The club boss feared directors could be prosecuted for corporate manslaughter
- It comes as at least seven BAME players aren’t training amid virus fears
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
Premier League clubs are still seeking reassurance on the implications of Project Restart plans ‘with one executive concerned about a corporate manslaughter prosecution’ in the worst case scenario of a player dying from Covid-19.
The English top-flight is kicking on with plans to resume the season, with a target date of mid-June for games to get underway again.
It is expected the 20 Premier League clubs will give the green light in a vote on Wednesday for a return to full contact training this week.
Premier League club executives are reportedly still seeking reassurance on several issues including whether directors could be prosecuted if a player dies of Covid-19
Premier League teams are now training in small groups but could start contact training soon
But, according to The Times, serious fears remain that questions remain unanswered and the timeframe is too short for the responses to be signed off by their lawyers.
Clubs are reportedly still seeking clarification on what happens if several first-team squad members are isolated because of Covid-19 and whether that would lead to their matches being postponed.
And one club chief executive raised the extreme scenario of a player dying of the virus and whether that could make club directors liable to prosecution for corporate manslaughter.
Clubs are also seeking clarity on what happens to the rest of the squad if a player involved in contact training tests positive.
Sportsmail revealed on Monday that at least seven BAME players have opted out of training sessions so far, among them Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante and Watford striker Troy Deeney.
Chelsea star N’Golo Kante has decide to opt out of returning to training over Covid-19 fears
Watford captain Troy Deeney has also decided against a return amid the coronavirus pandemic
There has been particular reluctance from the BAME playing community after the Office for National Statistics released data that black men and women are nearly twice as likely to die from Covid-19 as white people.
However, it was stressed in a meeting between the Premier League’s BAME advisory group and the government’s deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam last Friday that this equates to a 0.04 per cent chance of black players catching the virus and 0.02 per cent for white.