Charter flights, no mandatory vaccines and leave passes: How the World Cup can go ahead

World Cup players will start being vaccinated as soon as August and will be allowed to leave the tournament mid-way through should there be a COVID outbreak, part of contingencies to ensure the event proceeds.

More than 400 players and officials based in the southern hemisphere are likely to be given chartered flights for the return trip to the United Kingdom, which is due to host the event in October and November.

The Kangaroos lined up against Tonga in November 2019, the last time the Australian team played a Test match.Credit:Getty

Some nations are growing increasingly anxious about a final decision for the World Cup given the demands from kit manufacturers and pressure from sponsors.

But contingencies such as flying entire squads on dedicated flights – rather than mixing with members of the public on commercial carriers – are expected to allay some concerns. The cost is expected to be absorbed by World Cup organisers.

How players complete quarantine once they return to Australia is still a sticking point, with organisers working with the federal and state governments about the most suitable facilities for the mandatory two-week period.

Australian cricketers, officials and commentators weren’t immune from completing quarantine after the Indian Premier League was suspended, having been temporarily banned from flying home from the sub-continent after a surge in COVID cases in India.

World Cup stars will need to start applying for work exemptions in August to leave the country a couple of months later.

It is around the same time the first players are expecting to be immunised in preparation for the tournament. A COVID vaccination won’t be mandatory to play in the World Cup.

Any player or official who tests positive to COVID will enter the UK quarantine system and will have to return a negative test before being allowed to return home.

It is expected any player who feels uncomfortable about a spike in COVID cases in the UK won’t be prevented from the leaving the tournament.

The UK’s seven-day rolling average is still more than 7500 cases per day, but almost 50 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated as it approaches the middle of summer.

England is scheduled to play Samoa in the opening match of the men’s tournament on October 23, less than three weeks after the NRL grand final.

Australia will play Fiji later that day in a group which includes Scotland and Italy.

Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga has hinted the State of Origin series will have a large bearing on who he chooses in his squad for the World Cup, should it go ahead, as he also looks for Boyd Cordner’s captaincy replacement. Cordner retired earlier this week over ongoing concussion concerns.

Southern hemisphere nations could still play Test matches at the end of the year should the World Cup not go ahead.

Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.

Most Viewed in Sport

From our partners

Source: Read Full Article