E.t was a season like being on crutches. Not only were the stands empty in which the teams of the National Football League competed. A total of fifteen matches were postponed. One even three times: the home game of the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Baltimore Ravens. Because the league’s intensive precautionary measures in the fight against the spread of the corona pandemic had partially failed.
A year later, the NFL appeared to be better prepared for the pandemic that has killed more than 800,000 people in the United States since spring 2020. According to an official announcement, the vaccination rate among the players is 94.6 percent. There are also requirements for unvaccinated people. The catalog of measures has probably lulled those responsible. Because not only have there been significantly more cases of infection since August, when the new season was in the mood, than in the same period of the previous year. It has been clear since the beginning of the week: The virus is spreading faster than ever before.
The Los Angeles Rams were forced to close the training ground on Tuesday. “The scary thing for me is that every single affected person is vaccinated,” said head coach Sean McVay. The Cleveland Browns isolated eight players from the 53-man squad and fear not only more cases of infection, but a defeat in the game against the Las Vegas Raiders scheduled for Saturday. The reason: League Commissioner Roger Goodell had announced the end of the more tolerant line from the previous year in the summer. Teams that lack the staff to compete will not receive a dispensation and may even be fined.
The players’ association, which negotiated the corona regulations with league management, blames the lack of tests for the increase. Fully vaccinated players and team members are only tested once a week, and more often only if they show symptoms or have been in contact with an infected person. Unlike unvaccinated professionals who are checked daily and isolated in the training rooms and when traveling to games.
Dr. Thom Mayer, the union’s medical director, went under: Vaccinated players who have been infected but show no symptoms could pass the virus on to unsuspecting teammates for days before a test reveals the situation. The only consolation according to the league: The course of infection among vaccinated professionals says that they can cope better with the virus. Their symptoms are milder and their downtime is shorter.
The football league isn’t the only North American sports establishment caught off guard by the new wave. Since the beginning of the week, the news from the National Basketball Association, for example from the Brooklyn Nets, which faced the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday with a heavily reduced roster, has also been increasing. Seven of the championship contender’s players, including top performers like James Harden, were absent. “My dear man, I can’t even articulate how I’m feeling,” said Kevin Durant, the team’s star, after the Nets won 131-129 with eight players in extra time.
The virus never pauses
Even if the game plan goes through, the virus never pauses. The Los Angeles Lakers, for example, were hit on Tuesday when three players tested positive. That happened a day after the NBA postponed two Chicago Bulls encounters because the number of quarantine cases rose to ten and the team canceled training sessions for the rest of the roster.
Bad news is also piling up from the National Hockey League. In some teams only a few players are missing. But there are clubs that have been harder hit. If there are even more game cancellations, the league comes under time pressure and has to deal with the question of whether it can afford the planned break during the winter games in Beijing.
Participation in the Olympics is viewed with skepticism
The NHL had given in to the interests of the club owners four years ago and for the first time since 1998 denied professionals participation in the prestigious competition. However, the agreement between the league and the union from September on the participation of professionals still stands for these games. But skeptical voices are increasing. The Canadian Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers and his teammate Leon Draisaitl have already hinted at something to journalists. “I am still one of those people who want to be at the Olympic Games. But at the same time we want to make sure that nobody is endangered. All athletes, not just the ice hockey players, ”said Draisaitl.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, who does not want to sabotage the agreement, says: “There are some unanswered questions.” The players will be allowed to compete in China “if that is what they really want”. The mood among the professionals could change. “I have four children under three and a half at home,” said Canadian Alex Pietrangelo, who earns his living with the Las Vegas Golden Knights. “If I am isolated for weeks as a result, that is quite a long time that I cannot see my family.” A point of view that is shared by many others. Union leader Donald Fehr says: “We are waiting for information from the International Olympic Committee and the Chinese.” One of the complications is that China has strict rules of conduct: players with a positive test may have to stay in quarantine for three to five weeks.
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