translated from Spanish: FIFA Medical Commission: “There should be no playoffs in the remainder of the year”

Dr. Gerinaldo Martínez, a member of the FIFA Medical Commission, does not see the start-up for the month of October of the South American Qualifiers for the 2022 Qatar World Cup, mainly because of the issue of travel in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. In mid-July, the governing body of football and Conmebol agreed to start for the tenth month of the year, eight months after the originally scheduled, the long South American road to the next World Cup, where Chile debuts in Montevideo against Uruguay.Before this, Dr. Martinez declared in dialogue with La Cuarta that “it is very premature to return, especially because of the subject of travels , that makes a difference with selections. There are many players who are in Europe and you have to see the option they have to travel, the protocols in those countries and at their airports.” According to me, there shouldn’t be any knockouts in the remainder of the year. All of this goes hand in hand with how the issue of vaccine evolves. I think, being optimistic, we can have it by the end of the year. And at the event that can be marketed and that is already another topic,” the faculty added. In the same vein, the member of the FIFA Medical Commission said that “for me, the dates are variable, it all depends on the health emergency. Players come from Europe to their countries in South America and have contact with their people. That’s the point, because you can’t do good traceability there.” Finally, Martinez clarified that the theme “is complex. Each European country has its own regulations. We’ll have to look on a case-by-case basis. Sure, players may be able to go from Europe to South America, but the point is comeback. Maybe they’ll have to quarantine. I imagine FIFA has thought about it, but we as a medical committee do not have an official stance.”

Original source in Spanish