This archive report was first published on 21 June 2020.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread, the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has taken a crucial step to ensure the safety of its players and staff. In a statement released on June 21, 2020, the EFA announced that all players and club staff will undergo PCR tests starting from Sunday.
According to the EFA, the decision to conduct the tests was made in response to the growing number of COVID-19 cases in Egypt. The country has seen over 50,000 cases, prompting the government to take measures to contain the spread of the virus.
Minister of Youth and Sports, Ashraf Sobhi, had previously announced that the Egyptian Premier League would resume on July 25, 2020, with teams returning to training this month. However, the EFA has stressed that all players must take the PCR test twice, with at least five days separating each test, to ensure their safety.
The EFA has also assured that positive results will be disclosed privately to respect the player's privacy. The decision to conduct the tests has been welcomed by many clubs, who have asked for the PCR tests to start on Sunday to begin the precautionary measures as early as possible.
Additional reporting by King Fut.
