CHRIS SUTTON: Clubs MUST ban players guilty of lockdown-flouting

CHRIS SUTTON: Clubs must ban players guilty of lockdown-flouting NOT allow them to continue playing… seeing Luka Milivojevic leading Crystal Palace after New Years rule-breaking didn’t sit right

  • Some Premier League footballers disregarded the law to party on New Years 
  • Luka Milivojevic was pictured partying with Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic
  • The Crystal Palace skipper still started on Saturday against Sheffield United
  • If caught, dangerous ignorance should be punished with a three-match ban 

Break Government guidelines, get caught, copy and paste an apology from your agent on social media, then carry on as normal. That is the way it seems to go.

It did not sit right seeing Luka Milivojevic lead Crystal Palace out on Saturday after spending New Year’s Eve with Aleksandar Mitrovic, the striker of the club whose games are being postponed because of a Covid-19 outbreak.

Though Milivojevic flouted Government guidelines, we are told he did not break Premier League protocols because he tested negative before appearing for Palace.

Luka Milivojevic led Crystal Palace against Sheffield United despite attending a New Year party

The Eagles skipper was pictured with Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic, breaking Covid rules 

Roy Hodgson condemned Milivojevic, yet started him against Sheffield United. Jose Mourinho condemned his Covidiots, yet Sergio Reguilon was sitting there on his substitutes’ bench against Leeds.

It feels as if these players are getting away with their ignorance on technicalities.

I would rather see clubs or the footballing authorities police and punish their players.

If caught, that is a three-match ban, for example. Let that act as a deterrent.

Professional players are in privileged positions — so many at amateur and youth level would love to play a game of football right now.

Roy Hodgson claimed the captain would be punished but players should face a proper ban

The Premier League is continuing while the country is on shutdown while players break laws

To not socialise together is such a small sacrifice compared to what the rest of the country is going through.

Footballers did so much good work during the first lockdown. They were charitable and showed great compassion.

Now, a minority are not only giving the game a bad name, but they are also giving the Government more reasons to shut it down, especially if infections continue to rise. None of us want that to happen.




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