With the unexpected outbreak of the virus, COVID-19, many sports organizations have scrambled to try to find new ways to continue to play. While there is no perfect way to continue to play while keeping players, fans, and coaches all healthy, some organizations have tried their best to try to restart games again. One of these organizations, he Premier League.

The Premier League approved of a protocol to help combat the spread of the virus as much as possible. The protocol started on June 17th and required all players and coaches to be tested every two weeks. This has proved affecting as 21 players who were tested had positive results. There has also been a limit on the number of fans allowed to enter the stadium. Each stadium can hold 110 people in the stadium and each person must show a clinical passport that shows that they have tested positive for corona in the past six days.

The players also have extra rules to follow on the pitch as well. While it has not been considered as a rule, it is recommended that players should try to not elbow other players to keep player to player contact to a minimum. The Premier League has, however, made it clear that they will not allow any players to celebrate goals within five feet of each other and must maintain social distancing whenever possible. The Premier League has become more lenient of this rule over the past couple of weeks, however.

Travel has also been configured to help stop the spread. While teams can use their own vehicles, teams and their managers are encouraged to use planes as much as possible. It is also suggested that the team try to travel with only the minimum number of players required for a match. This will allow the hotels the teams stay enough to have enough room to separate the players. As an extra precaution, the Premier League will require players, coaches, referees, and managers to take a temperature test once they leave their hotels.

With the season well under way, and no major disasters happening before or after games, it is safe to say that the Premier League, as well as other leagues, have handled the situation as best as possible. Although it is not perfect, the protocols and precautions that have been made and most certainty helped stop the spread of the virus. Hopefully, fans will be allowed to attend games somewhere in the future and the games will return to normal. Until that day, everyone must do their part to help stop the spread of the virus and hopefully save more lives.