The Orange Women are tightening up the regime after Jackie Groenen’s corona infection. Players are no longer allowed to cuddle with family and friends after matches and the interviews with the written press are digital for the time being.
It was a remarkable picture on Saturday after the first European Championship match of the Netherlands against Sweden. After the 1-1 in Sheffield, the players stepped over the boarding to cuddle with relatives and acquaintances along the side. One of them was Jackie Groenen. The morning later, she tested positive for the coronavirus and was forced into isolation.
According to UEFA’s corona regulations, players must distance love spectators, but UEFA and the KNVB turned a blind eye to their families after a week in England retreat. And that while on the other side of the Channel, several riders in the Tour de France had to give up because of a corona infection.
The Orange women players are not continuously tested, as was the case at the Tokyo Olympics last year. They only have to report to the team doctor for a corona test in case of corona-related complaints.
That regime is in line with the corona rules of UEFA and the authorities in the United Kingdom. Groenen had herself tested on Sunday morning, because she no longer had a voice after the game. For that reason, she also did not visit the press.
Jackie Groenen waved to the fans afterwards and then hugged several family members.
Jackie Groenen waved to the fans afterwards and then hugged several family members.
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The KNVB sees no reason to introduce test rounds after the corona infection of Groenen† That while Groenen was continuously in the vicinity of players, staff members and supervisors in recent days. The team doctor of the association adheres to the corona protocol, which prescribes that players are only tested in the event of complaints.
Yet the KNVB is tightening up some rules of conduct† Cuddling after the match is a thing of the past and the interviews with the written press are digital for the time being. Only rights holder NOS and ESPN are allowed to conduct physical interviews at the players’ hotel in Worsley, albeit 1.5 meters away. Other guests also stay in the hotel. As a result, there is no such thing as a bubble. That is not mandatory either.
Where in the Tour de France all riders and supervisors wear a mouth capThat is far from the case at the European Championships. According to the rules, players must wear a mask in the interview room and in the press conference room, but Vivianne Miedema was one of the few who did.
When the players bus arrived at the training field in Carrington, not a single player was wearing a mask on Sunday. That was a few hours after Groenen’s positive corona test.
Jackie Groenen (front row, second from right) takes a team photo with the players ahead of the Netherlands-Sweden.
Jackie Groenen (front row, second from right) takes a team photo with the players ahead of the Netherlands-Sweden. Photo: AFP
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In theory, it could be a long time before Greens return to the Orange Women. The midfielder must not only be complaint-free before she can be released from isolation, but also take a negative test. It can sometimes take weeks before someone tests negative after a corona infection.
The Orange Women will play the second group match at the European Championship in Leigh next Wednesday. Then Portugal is the opponent. Next Sunday, the group stage in Sheffield will conclude with a duel with Switzerland.
Now that the corona ghost has reported to the Orange women’s training camp, the question is whether more players will test positive in the coming days. That would put a broad veil over the tournament, after the English Lotte Wubben-Moy and the Austrian Laura Wienroither had already contracted corona during the European Championship.
EC program Orange Women
- Netherlands-Sweden 1-1
- July 13 in Leigh: Netherlands-Portugal (9 p.m.)
- July 17 in Sheffield: Switzerland-Netherlands (6 p.m.)
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