English football’s plan to finish season hits stumbling block with several players’ insurance not covering coronavirus

ENGLISH FOOTBALL faces another obstacle in its bid to finish the season due to players’ insurance policies.

The season has hit the buffers due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic that is sweeping the globe.

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English football has some important hurdles to overcome if it is to restartCredit: PA:Press Association

And now footballers’ careers could come under threat from the crisis.

MailOnline reports that “players face being uninsured if their careers are ended because of the coronavirus”.

It is reported that a number of stars have already queried how the virus could affect their policies.

And some have been told that “they would not be covered if infection leads to them having to end their careers prematurely” because “the coronavirus is not listed as a critical illness”.

But insurance companies would have to pay out if the virus led to another illness that IS recognised as ‘critical’.

According to MailOnline, a number of players have already improved their policies.

Some players are reportedly fearful of getting back out on the pitch if the coronavirus has not been contained, behind-closed-doors or not.

SunSport reported how Premier League clubs are concocting an ambitious plan to restart the season in MAY – and avoid a £750million backlash from broadcasters.

Representatives from all 20 clubs will join a scheduled “shareholders” video conference with Prem chief Richard Masters and his officials on Friday.

According to the Mail, clubs will push for an optimistic May resumption – with the season to be completed behind closed doors by July 16 at the latest.

This would enable them to keep all of the money owed by broadcasters for the remainder of the campaign.

The likes of Sky and BT have a watertight £3billion-a-year deal which expires on July 31, with next season’s deal kicking in the following day.

And they could refuse to pay their final tranche of television money for the current season should it not be played by that date, having suffered a sharp decline in subscribers since the coronavirus outbreak sent sport into lockdown this month.

Those plans, however, seem unlikely following the warning from deputy chief medical officer Jenny Harries that restrictions could remain in place until October.

And chiefs could face having to sacrifice this season OR next term if the lockdown remains until the autumn.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk