English Football League confirm testing and return to training protocols

Currently only the second tier has indicated a collective desire to continue the 2019-20 season and tests were conducted on Thursday and Friday

Friday 22 May 2020 16:43 BST
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The English Football League has set out its testing and return-to-training protocols, with the first results from Covid-19 tests among Championship players set to be published on Sunday.

Currently only the second tier has indicated a collective desire to continue the 2019-20 season and tests were conducted on Thursday and Friday.

The EFL confirmed there will be a combination of testing procedures, made up of independent testing, some conducted by club medical staff and an element of players self-testing.

It said the accuracy of the tests would be within government guidelines.

Players with League One and Two clubs have not been tested, and will therefore not be able to return to group training on May 25.

There is disagreement among third-tier clubs over whether to curtail the season or play on, while the cost of testing was among the factors which prompted League Two clubs to indicate they were moving towards ending their season.

The provisions are in place with testing company Nationwide Pathology to extend the testing to the lower two leagues if they do decide to play on, either in completing the regular season or the play-offs.

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