With AFP
Unlike last spring, the confinement decided by the government on Wednesday evening for a period of one month will not be synonymous with a brutal halt for professional sport in France.
On the night of Wednesday to Thursday, Roxana Maracinanu announced to the National Assembly that professional sports competitions will continue in the coming weeks despite the upcoming health restrictions across the country, confirming information from
Figaro
revealed on Tuesday.
Exemptions to allow athletes to train
“The coming weeks will be tough economically but also humanely.
This is why I wanted to confirm to you this evening that the continuity of sport, which is practiced as a profession, is guaranteed today, ”declared the former swimmer during the examination of the Sports budget at the Palais-Bourbon.
“Top athletes and professional athletes will be able to continue training.
And they will also be able to continue to compete since travel for professional reasons is authorized, ”continued the Minister Delegate.
"READ ALSO -
Patrick Wolff:" There will be bankruptcies, in all sports "
Statements that will be greeted with great relief within clubs and sports associations whose finances have been very heavily affected by the end of competitions several months at the beginning of the year.
Football Ligue 1, the Rugby Top 14 in particular could not go until the end of the 2019/2020 season.
The Tour de France cyclist, traditionally organized during the first three weeks of July, was held this year in September, as was the Roland-Garros tennis tournament, usually organized at the end of May-beginning of June and which was held late September-early October.
The team sports seasons have resumed normally this summer, under strict anti-Covid protocol, but have since been punctuated by numerous postponements or cancellations of matches, causing, as in other sectors of the economy, an unprecedented economic crisis.
»READ ALSO -
Deprived of revenue, professional rugby fears bankruptcy
Prime Minister Jean Castex will make a statement to the Assembly on Thursday morning, then give a press conference to detail the measures following this presidential announcement.
The National Basketball League (LNB) did not wait to announce the postponement of the entire day of the French championship scheduled for this weekend.
"The steering committee will make a decision for the days scheduled for November as soon as the government has provided additional details to the president's statements on professional sport," explained the LNB, which has recorded since the start of the season the postponement of nearly 'one in three Jeep Elite matches due to the increasing number of cases of covid in the workforce.
Amateur sport at a standstill
Amateur sport awaits the details of government measures impatiently and with great concern.
Emmanuel Macron's statements indicating Wednesday evening the ban "of travel from one region to another" as well as "public gatherings are no longer allowed", suggest that all competitions will be suspended for at least four weeks.
According to our information, the French Rugby Federation should thus validate the suspension of all other championships until February 1, 2021. And the final phases of these domestic competitions should be canceled in favor of up-relegations depending on the final classification of the various hens.
Read also
French sport on the brink