For those who have suffered from Coronavirus, Major League clubs should observe a minute’s silence and display a heart-shaped badge in memory of front-line warriors.
After a 3-month stop caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, all 20 Premier League clubs have approved a range of matchday protocols for the resumption of action next week.
The most recent meeting of shareholders in the Premier League on Thursday discussed the details of medical and operational measures, including how many backroom staff will be allowed to attend games away.
Clubs will also respect a minute’s silence for those who died during the pandemic, according to media reports, and kits will include a heart-shaped badge in honor of NHS and frontline staff during the crisis.
The Project Restart of the Premier League kicks off next Wednesday with the first two remaining fixtures from the 92. Manchester City will welcome Sheffield United, Arsenal, and Aston Villa. Other measures include a deep cleaning of corner flags, goalposts, match balls, and substitution boards.
The Guardian understands that the league will have no problem if players or teams want to knee ahead of games, as some clubs did before recent games. For at least the first set of games, the names on the back of the players’ shirts will be replaced by the words Black Lives Matter following an initiative driven by club captains this week. One club clarified their kit workers had been trained to order shirts that represented the move.
Black Lives Matter badges are also likely to be displayed on shirts along with their NHS equivalents, though their exact placement is yet to be finalized.
The initiatives are the government’s green light condition for a return to competitive sport.
