Industry Shorts: Efl, Premiership Rugby, Bucs

EFL says it has informed its clubs should not return to training until 25th May at earliest.

According to the league, training should not take place ‘until all outstanding matters are concluded’, which includes a testing programme for players.

The league has also said that the ‘consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic will not be rectified simply by a return to play behind closed doors’, as it warned the financial implications of suspending the season remain ‘stark’.

Premiership Rugby says its #Signed4Mind Shirt Auction initiative, which auctioned off signed shirts in aid of mental health charity Mindm has raised over £15,000 – exceeding its target.

As part of the league’s commitment to helping people through the coronavirus pandemic, each of its 12 clubs has auctioned off a signed shirt to which all of the proceeds will go to the charity.

Last month, Premiership Rugby and its clubs took part in the #MakeThatCall movement. Launched initially by Wasps before spreading throughout the League, #MakeThatCall has seen players, coaches, famous fans and rugby bosses call fans in isolation to have a chat and offer support.

British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS), has teamed-up with its existing partner Playwaze, to launch a new activity platform to encourage physical activity during lockdown.

The #GetBUCSActive platform hosts a range of physical activity and wellbeing content for students and staff, including step classes and mindfulness sessions.

The platform allows individuals to select activity based on a range of criteria including university, difficulty level, live or on-demand and type of session. 

European players on the PGA TOUR will have to self isolate for 14 days upon arrival in US, ahead of the TOUR’s restart, which is scheduled for 11th June.

The TOUR says that some 25 of its players are currently outside of the US and will have to follow the protocol, while a host of caddies – including those of Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose – also face a lengthy quarantine period ahead of the returning competition.