PLAYER TRAVEL, HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY DURING COVID-19

INTERNATIONAL WINDOW 5 OCTOBER TO 14 OCTOBER 2020 28.09.2020

WWW.FIFPRO.ORG PLAYER TRAVEL, HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY DURING COVID-19

The matches during the next international window require extensive cross-continental travel by players, involving multiple destinations across Europe, South and North America, raise the need for the highest health and safety standards to protect players, match officials and the public. THE RELEASE OF PLAYERS FOR INTERNATIONAL MATCHES DURING COVID-19

Dear Reader,

From the player perspective, the underlying challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are diverse. Footballers do not exist in a vacuum. They are just as susceptible to this disease as any other member of the public and some early studies suggest even specific risk factors for high performance athletes.

Therefore, the basic consideration in this unique time for all organizations is that health and safety of players (and other concerned staff) takes absolute priority and that players and clubs should not be pressured by regulations or other forces to take decisions that jeopardize the health of players or compromise their actual or perceived safety. This is consistent with FIFA’s guiding principle that “health comes first”, which has been instrumental in responsible decisions taken to this point. International windows during COVID-19 will require extensive international and cross-continental travel by players in a context of heightened risk.

This raises the need for the highest health and safety standards to protect players, match officials and the public, as we are dealing with a far more complex situation than during the September window, in which only one confederation played matches, without significant travel from outside the continent. It must also be noted, that the pandemic is gathering further pace with infection rates, hospitalizations and thus government restrictions increasing yet again.

In light of the expected upcoming important decisions by the FIFA Council and in order to gather the input provided during our stakeholder meeting on 23 September 2020, the principles below have been put forward to consider minimum requirements for the safe participation and release of players for international windows during the current stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. The additional research in this presentation highlights the anticipated amount of cross-continental travel if no safety measures are taken.

For further information please contact www.fifpro.org THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL PROTECTION PRINCIPLES ARE REQUIRED FOR PLAYERS AND INVOLVED STAFF

RULES ON RELEASE OF NON-COMPETITIVE MATCHES & TESTING PLAYERS YOUTH COMPETITIONS REQUIREMENTS The dynamic development of the pandemic The football community agreed, in this time of Existing health and safety risks in a country or requires that the rules on the release of players pandemic, to focus on required/essential region require a rigid testing regime to protect be adapted to ensure that the well-being and competitive matches. Common sense and the players as well as other critical staff and, by health of all individuals involved in international guiding principle that “health comes first” require extension, releasing clubs, domestic competition is respected.. that the mandatory release obligation for competitions and the public. friendlies and youth competitions be lifted.

PLAYER PROTECTION SCHEMES CENTRALIZED AND LIABILITY INFORMATION The release of players to national teams in the The situation of the pandemic is rapidly evolving midst of a pandemic carries significant risks not across the world and many national only to players’ health, but also to their ability to governments, along with football federations and perform their contractual duties vis-àvis their clubs stakeholders, are increasing their efforts in the (due to potential temporary incapacity as a result of fight against the virus through restrictive infection or quarantine requirements). These risks measures. require clarity of responsibility towards the players’ wellbeing and the potential protections required for

players and clubs. *They aim at safeguarding players’ health and safety during this global pandemic, specifically with regard to the release of players for

international windows during COVID-19.. AT A GLANCE

HIGH-LEVEL FINDINGS PER CLUB AND COUNTRY CROSS-CONTINENTAL PLAYER TRAVEL: CLUBS PROVIDING AT LEAST 3 PLAYERS TO A CONMEBOL’S NATIONAL TEAM CROSS-CONTINENTAL PLAYER TRAVEL: ANTICIPATED CALL UP OF PLAYERS BY COUNTRY CURRENT COVID-19 INFORMATION OVERVIEW UEFA AND CONMEBOL COUNTRIES NEWLY REPORTED COVID-19 CASES: NEWLY REPORTED COVID-19 CASES: CROSS-CONTINENTAL PLAYER TRAVEL PER CONMEBOL NATIONAL TEAM COUNTRY OVERVIEWEXAMPLE OF TITLE

Argentina 12 Bolivia 13 14 15 16 Ecuador 17 Paraguay 18 Peru 19 20 Venezuela 21

12 CROSS-CONTINENTAL PLAYER TRAVEL: CROSS-CONTINENTAL PLAYER TRAVEL: BOLIVIA CROSS-CONTINENTAL PLAYER TRAVEL: BRAZIL CROSS-CONTINENTAL PLAYER TRAVEL: CHILE CROSS-CONTINENTAL PLAYER TRAVEL: COLOMBIA CROSS-CONTINENTAL PLAYER TRAVEL: ECUADOR CROSS-CONTINENTAL PLAYER TRAVEL: PARAGUAY CROSS-CONTINENTAL PLAYER TRAVEL: PERU CROSS-CONTINENTAL PLAYER TRAVEL: URUGUAY CROSS-CONTINENTAL PLAYER TRAVEL: VENEZUELA THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

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