There’s going to be a change to traditional pre-match etiquette tomorrow night when Livingston host Celtic as the handshakes won’t be happening.
Indeed, that’s because the SFA/SPFL’s Coronavirus Response Group has banned the players from carrying out their regular pre-match shake with opposition teams.
This is to go into place immediately and will therefore kick into action tonight when Hibernian host Hearts in the Premiership. It also seems as though the decision to stop handshakes is one that will remain for the foreseeable future.
The news comes a day after the group was announced by the SFA. And the Scottish Sun have managed to report the details of the letter that SFA president Ian Maxwell and SPFL Chief Executive Neil Doncaster sent to Scottish clubs today:
“At today’s daily briefing, it was agreed that with immediate effect we would seek to suspended the traditional practice of shaking hands between opponents and match officials prior to and following matches.
“This is keeping with the Scottish Government’s circulated guidance on appropriate steps to reduce person-to-person contact and the resultant spread of the infection, and will remain in effect until further notice.
“We would request that you instruct all players, coaching staff and match officials on the latest guidance prior to the latest round of fixtures, starting this evening.”
Nothing major so far
It’s interesting to see the Scottish football authorities take this precaution. It’s clear that they’re finally taking the Coronavirus a tad more seriously.
And we’re right to fear what effect it could have on football in the long-term. UEFA have stated that there is “no panic” at the moment regarding the virus. However, in saying that, they’ve also banned their own staff from traveling (Daily Mirror).
However, you also have to remember that the Coronavirus spreads very easily. It’s not as if we’re banning contact from football, which you obviously can’t do. Therefore, even if the players don’t shake hands, they’ll still be in contact with each other throughout matches.
In any case, it’s good to see the SFA and SPFL at least make a first move on it. However, if things start to pick up, and it seems inevitable that they will, further drastic action could be put into place.
We all love football, but health and well-being comes first.
How do you think the Coronavirus will affect football in the short-term? Have the SFA/SPFL group made the right choice here? Give us your thoughts on this via the discussion forum below.
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