FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Inter Miami players will be allowed to return to the pitch next week, though we’re still a ways away from them finally playing their first-ever home game.
Major League Soccer announced that on Wednesday players “may begin to use outdoor team training fields for individual workouts in compliance with detailed health and safety protocols that were created in consultation with medical and infectious disease experts.” That is pending the teams submitting a detailed plan for health and safety measures amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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All workouts at this point will be voluntary and may not conflict with local public health and government policies, the league said.
“We are assessing our situation with local authorities, our medical team and the league, but our goal is to start individual training sessions next week to give players opportunities to use our fields safely,” Inter Miami COO and Sporting Director Paul McDonough said.
The league-wide moratorium on small group and full team training remains in place through May 15, and players are not permitted to use team locker rooms, gyms or training rooms unless receiving post-operative rehabilitation.
“By allowing players, on a voluntary basis, to utilize team-operated fields for individual workouts, MLS clubs will be able to provide a controlled environment that ensures adherence to safety protocols and social distancing measures for players and staff,” the league said in a news release.
Inter Miami lost the first two matches of its inaugural season on the road before the pandemic suspended the season and posponed the home opener that was set for March 14.