13 May 2020

Swedish footballers and staff not to be tested for coronavirus before training and matches

Footballers in Sweden will not be required to take medical tests for COVID-19 before returning to training sessions and matches ahead of the season returning on June 14.

Players are instead asked to fill in self-assessment forms every day before training and send to their respective club doctors at least two hours before arriving at the training ground or the stadium.

Doctors will then assess the responses and judge as to whether the player is fit to participate.

However, players are asked to take matters into their own hands and isolate at home should they be showing any symptoms of the potentially deadly virus.

The ruling is in line with the principles adopted across the country which, according to the Swedish league, state that only those who ‘are feeling so ill that they must visit a hospital get a full-scale corona test’, reported The Associated Press.

”So, in line with that, we do not have the opportunity to test our players," they added.

These return-to-play protocols were published by the Swedish league on Tuesday and have been submitted for approval to the country's Public Health Authority

In Denmark players and staff will all undertake self-examinations before a stringent ‘testing regime’ in advance of any competitions.

In Germany, where competition for the top two leagues resumes this weekend, players and staff underwent two rounds of testing before returning to training with the squad last week.

The best videos delivered daily

Watch the stories that matter, right from your inbox