Daily Times

PARIS: Footballers in France’s top flight will return to their clubs the week starting May 11 to undergo “full medical checkups” with a view to restarting Ligue 1 in June pending government clearance, the French league (LFP) said Saturday. The LFP board met to review the main points of a draft document on medical and health protocols presented by the league’s representative for club doctors, it said in a statement. The document “foresees a return of players to training centres the week of May 11 to carry out full medical checkups, as well as swab tests, followed by daily monitoring, which will be detailed … between now and the end of April,” it said. The LFP has also indicated its preferred option remains a “resumption of leagues in mid-June subject to knowing the terms of easing confinement measures which will be presented by the government in the coming days”. France is currently under a nationwide lockdown until May 11. The LFP also reached an agreement with broadcasters Canal Plus and beIN Sports Saturday over disputed payments. The two television companies withheld money due after the league was suspended indefinitely. A statement from the LFP said they had agreed to pay an amount relative to the number of matches already broadcast. French sports daily L’Equipe reported the sum from Canal Plus to be around 37 million euros ($40 million).

Meanwhile, French football federation president Noel Le Graet hopes both the French Cup and League Cup finals can be played before the league season restarts. Paris Saint-Germainare due to meet Saint-Etienne in the French Cup, while Thomas Tuchel’s side are scheduled to face Lyon in the League Cup. Football in Europe has been at a standstill since mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic. France has recorded almost 22,000 deaths linked to the virus according to Friday’s latest figures.