Are we all in this together? Footballing ethics in the age of Coronavirus

Abstract

The effects of COVID-19 have been telling in the sports world, seeing competitions suspended indefinitely. Initial optimism in England-that the Premier League would resume in May-dampened in favour of caution. In the absence of play and catastrophic economic losses, wealthy managers and executives have been encouraged, from a financial perspective, to accept wage freezes and reductions. Players have also been encouraged to do so as part of an effort in solidarity. This paper considers the ethical dimension of such gestures and how these have been received. How is the footballer, rendered physically incapable in such circumstances to prove sporting worth, to be critiqued? A new pandemic morality, it is argued, has emerged, one that takes an austere view of footballers and their conduct. Appraised as such, these figures are seen less as heroic beings than citizens engaged in a common cause and reviled for not doing so, a return, it is contended, to the principle of amateurishness. Specific reference is made to the English Premier League to illustrate the point.

Policy Analysis of the Termination of Football Competitions in the Time of the Covid-19 Pandemic

“…This is in line with the opinion of "Célia Gouveia & Rui Pereira '' in European countries after football was stopped in March 2020, in June they were already preparing to resume competition (Gouveia & Pereira, 2021). Even the Premier League will resume in May, reduced for the sake of caution (Kampmark, 2021). But it's not only football events that make it stop, there are also big events such as the Tokyo olympics, the Tokyo olympics (Maditinos, Vassiliadis, Trevlopoulos, & Vassiliadis, 2021).…”

“…Unique to this occasion is the global adoption of pandemic suppression regimes, which effectively hibernate economies in the name of safeguarding national health systems and limiting loss of life. (Kampmark, 2021). And of course this postponement is not in Indonesia, even in European countries the football competition has been postponed (Reade & Singleton, 2021).…”

“…Of course not only in Indonesia, Many professional leagues around the world are suspending their seasons and hundreds of thousands of jobs are threatened as public sporting events across the country are canceled. (Kampmark, 2021).…”