Curious. At a time when the planet is writing off the sporting events planned for the coming weeks one by one, the United States is standing firm. Show must go on. But media are asked to stay at the door.
Four of the main North American professional leagues published a joint press release on the evening of Monday March 9 to clarify how they intended to fight the spread of the coronavirus. The MLB (baseball), the NBA (basketball), the NHL (ice hockey) and the MLS (football), united by circumstances around a rare consensus, have decided to prohibit the media from accessing the team locker rooms.
The measure is presented as temporary. It does not concern employees of teams deemed “essential”. But it takes effect from this Tuesday, March 10, for official meetings and for training.
« Following consultations with infectious disease and public health experts, and due to the issues that could arise from close contact before and after a match, the decision was made to limit access to the all the locker rooms, specifies the press release published by the four professional leagues. We will continue to monitor the situation very closely and take the necessary measures to maintain a safe and welcoming environment. »
Media representatives will still be able to have access to players. But outside the locker room, in areas designated for interviews.
In the United States as in Canada, the journalists' union organizations have expressed their agreement and support without the slightest nuance. No less than seven of them issued a joint press release. “ We understand that precautions may be necessary in the name of public healthhe insists. We intend to work with the various leagues and teams we cover to maintain the safest workspaces possible. But we must also ensure that locker room access, which we have negotiated over decades, for players, coaches and staff, is not limited in the short or long term. »
Coincidentally with the calendar, the American Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) in turn announced, Monday March 9, its anti-coronavirus plan. It also directly affects the work of the media.
The USOPC has made the decision to postpone its traditional “Media Summit” before the Tokyo 2020 Games. It was scheduled for March 15-18 in Los Angeles and was expected to bring together approximately 115 potential Olympic selectees and more than 400 media representatives. .
The “Media Summit” has been organized every two years by the American Olympic Committee since the Nagano Winter Games in 1998. It has never been canceled or postponed.
The event was postponed by “ caution ", explained the USOPC communications department. Luella Chavez D’Angelo, its manager, informed the media by email. “ We will be seeking your feedback and ideas on athlete meet-and-greet opportunities that might be helpful to you.”, she suggested, suggesting that the traditional gathering might not take place this year in its usual form
Sarah Hirshland, executive director of the USOPC, sent an email to invited athletes announcing the decision. Four months before the Tokyo 2020 Games, such a gathering “ just isn’t a risk worth taking.”she explained.
« We will continue to monitor the situation very closely, without hesitating to change our plans if necessary to ensure the safety and good health of each of you., wrote Sarah Hirshland for future members of Team USA. Without any news from us, you will have to assume that we are preparing for the Tokyo 2020 Games as planned. »
