Until the morning of the match, Jérémy Rodriguez thought about and rehashed the same dilemma: “Am I just taking the risk of bringing the virus home for my own pleasure?” “ The Bar-sur-Aube FC (BFC) player finally reached the ierre-de-Coubertin stadium, where his team hosted the Football Club de la Métropole Troyenne (FCMT), Sunday, September 6, at the opening of the regional 3 championship. “Football is kind of the only way to escape the week, justifies the midfielder. It feels good to think to yourself that for ninety minutes you let go of everything, forget about the virus and everything. “
From the entrance of the sports complex, the Covid-19 nevertheless remembered him. Several drawings plastered above a jar of hydroalcoholic gel inform of the compulsory wearing of the mask within the confines of the enclosure. “We try to respect the FFF protocol as much as possible [Fédération française de football], comments José Do Nascimento, head of the BFC football school and senior coach. But we don’t have the means to do everything. Normally, the two teams shouldn’t even cross each other. It’s completely stupid since they will spend the game together on the lawn. “
“We know what we risk not putting on the mask: it leaves again and we lock ourselves in our home”, a player from Bar-sur-Aube
And the opponents did not wait for the kick-off to stare at each other. Before joining their respective locker rooms, the footballers of the eighth national level “check in”, take news, talk about this new mask fashion and laugh at a strange coincidence. “It’s ironic, that’s where we played the last game of our life before, says Sullyvan Josset, right side of the FCMT. There was already talk of coronavirus cases (Covid-19) and we were forbidden to shake hands. “ Then the country was confined for fifty-five days and the competitions postponed to next season.
A few weeks after the professionals, September marked the resumption of the championship among the amateurs. No weekly test for them, but a series of new standards – designation of a “Covid referent”, site signage, disinfection of premises – not always easy to apply in clubs which are sometimes only due to the passion of a handful of volunteers.
On both the BFC and FCMT sides, everyone followed the instructions quickly, wearing the mask into the locker rooms. Sullyvan Josset is surprised to be asked about this: “Must do it, I do it, that’s all.” We all know what we are risking by not putting it on: it all starts again and we lock ourselves in our house. “ ” The mask ? This is the only special thing compared to before, adds Alexis Pelladeau, one of his teammates. But it’s not like it’s new, it’s been a part of our life for months. ”
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