This archive report was first published on 21 May 2020.
On May 21, 2020, Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante was given permission to skip the team's return to training due to his concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to reports, Kante, a 29-year-old French World Cup winner, had initially joined the team on Tuesday, May 19, 2020, after the Premier League allowed socially distanced training sessions.
However, he missed the team's small group practice on Wednesday, May 20, 2020, with the blessing of Chelsea manager Frank Lampard, who reportedly allowed him to train at home on compassionate leave.
Kante's decision to stay away from training comes after he tested negative for the virus during the team's first batch of checks.
His concerns about the safety of training with his teammates are understandable, given the higher risk of serious illness faced by black and ethnic minorities, as reported by the Office for National Statistics.
It's worth noting that Kante has a history of health scares, including a collapse at Chelsea's training ground two years ago, which did not reveal any heart concerns but led to him missing a game as a precaution.
Additionally, Kante's elder brother Niamh died of a heart attack shortly before the 2018 World Cup.
His decision to stay at home is also in line with Watford captain Troy Deeney, who opted not to join his team for the resumption of training due to concerns about putting his family at risk.
