Features

J-League gears up for resumption after PCR test results

The Japan Professional Football League (J-League) has announced the results of its PCR swab tests carried out for players, staff, and officials between June 18-21 as the league prepares for its much-anticipated resumption.

A total of 3,070 people were tested by the J-League Covid-19 Testing Centre (JCTC) which has been set up to run and manage necessary testing operations for club staff, including the players and match officials such as referees and league representatives. The results show that 3,058 samples came out negative with no sample testing positive. The remaining 12 samples are subject for further tests as results were inconclusive.

According to the Soccer Digest Web, Mitsuru Murai, J-League chairman, while expressing his gratitude to those involved in the testing, welcomed the first result of the JCTC’s tests. He said: “As we all prepare for this weekend’s resumption of J2 (division 2) and start of J3 League (division 3) respectively, we have the result of the league’s official PCR tests. We would like to thank everyone including the players and club staff who managed their health conditions really well while the league was suspended.

“We see testing as a tool both for preventing the spread of the COVID-19 infection and for ensuring that the footballers can play in a safe and assuring match environment. Although we will restart our 2020 campaign with remote matches for the time being, we will make sure to deploy preventative measures in compliance with necessary guidelines to protect the health and well-being of the players and spectators alike so that we will regain our everyday lives of which football is very much part.”

The first few rounds of matches will be played in empty stadia as ‘Remote Matches’. The fan-inspired Remote Match name was officially selected last week as the new nickname of any matches to be played in empty stadia to prevent the spread of a disease.

Japan Top League (JTL), a joint organisation that consists of top flight federations/associations of different sport codes, this month called for sports fans to come up with a new nickname for such matches. JTL’s intention was to distinguish them from those matches where attendance of fans is banned to punish clubs who breached relevant rules and regulations.

J-League will continue to carry out PCR tests every two weeks until December when the league finally comes to a conclusion.

Image: J. League

Article provided by The Stadium Hub