2019-20 Premier League Season Could be Cancelled If- LMA Boss
A vote is set to take place on Monday on proposals for a
return to football.
The Premier League has been suspended since 13 March
because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Bevan says "time isn't on our side and training needs
to be in place very soon" for a return by 12 June.
All 20 clubs are committed to playing the 92 remaining
fixtures of the 2019-20 season if and when it is safe to do so.
However, Brighton have said they are "not in
favour" of using neutral venues because it may affect the
"integrity" of the league.
The neutral stadium proposal needs 14 out of the 20 clubs
to vote in favour for it to be adopted.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to update the
UK's position on lockdown and the plan for easing measures on Sunday.
Asked if a vote against neutral venues would lead to the
season's cancellation, Bevan told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Yes, I
think that probably is correct."
He added: "The government, if they haven't already,
will be making it clear that home matches with densely populated stadia, really
puts into question whether social distancing rules can be adhered to."
The
Premier League's plans - dubbed Project Restart - involve a return to action in
June in order to complete the season at the end of July to fit in with Uefa's
European competition plans.
This would require full training to begin by 18 May.
The league would also need up to 40,000 tests for players
and staff if plans to play the outstanding games behind closed doors are
pursued.
On Friday, after their most recent meeting by video
conference, Premier League clubs reiterated a commitment to resuming the season
"when safe and appropriate to do so".
A
number of Premier League club doctors have
raised a range of concerns with league bosses over plans to resume the season.
One issue that the senior medics have sought assurances
over includes their own liability and insurance cover if players contract the
virus.
The 20 club doctors have been holding their own
discussions about Project Restart with a view to feeding their thoughts over
medical protocols, testing and player welfare.
"The medical and operational protocols are going to
be presented to the managers on calls, and indeed the players," Bevan
added.
"Hopefully, there will be solutions that create this
safe environment.
"Football must not occupy any NHS resources, it must
not impinge on the capacity of the health and emergency services. But it covers
testing, tracking, PPE available, clear guidelines on social distancing, and
obviously a safe environment to train and play.
"There will be guidance on cardiology, mental and
emotional well-being. And I think the message really is that health is a
guiding principle to any decision-making."
Manchester
City striker Sergio Aguero has spoken out to
say players are "scared" about returning to action amid the
coronavirus outbreak.
On returning to training, players will be tested for the
virus twice a week and would be screened for symptoms every day.
There will also be extra precautions for players at
training, including wearing protective equipment and not showering or eating on
premises.
Bevan says no players would be forced into playing when it
is not safe to do so.
"I think as long as we have maximum information and
good protocol documents, players will make their own decisions and same for
managers. And they'll be looking at best practice," he added.
"If we do get that information clearly and
well-presented and governments are clear as well, there'll be some good
decision-making - from a manager perspective. I don't think that would be
coercing players at all."
The
reluctance of some clubs to play at neutral grounds presents the Premier League
with a headache.
In pure numbers terms, 14 of the 20 need to vote in favour
of a proposal for it to be carried.
However, all the way through the Covid-19 outbreak, the
Premier League has tried to remain united - as it still is in an overall desire
to complete the season.
Given the six clubs at the bottom of the table are the
ones most resistant to the neutral games idea, if the rest vote in favour, it
will happen.
But that would open up grievances that would not easily be
settled - and given three of these clubs, Aston Villa, Brighton and West Ham,
play at grounds that fulfil the criteria around accessibility the Premier
League is looking for in the eight to 10 stadiums that it uses, it would mean
some very awkward conversations having to take place.
As has happened so often over the past couple of months,
what seems a straightforward situation becomes complicated very quickly.
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