No H1N1 vaccines, or re-scheduled matches: Platini

November 5, 2009

European football chief Michel Platini said Thursday he would not take measures that would force players involved in European competition to be vaccinated against swine flu, or the H1N1 virus.

And the former France and Juventus midfield legend added that UEFA would not postpone any Champions League or Europa League matches in the event several players in a team had contracted the virus.

A French league match between Marseille and Paris Saint Germain had to be postponed recently because several PSG stars had fallen ill with H1N1.

And at a Champions League match between Dynamo Kiev and Inter Milan Wednesday thousands of Ukrainian fans had followed officials’ advice to wear protective face masks to help prevent the spread of the virus.

But UEFA chief Platini, speaking on the fringes of a visit to the European Parliament, said he would not force any players to have vaccinations in order to safeguard fixtures in the Champions League and Europa League.

“I’m not a doctor, this is a subject that only the (medical) specialists can advise on,” said Platini.

“There’s no obligation for players to be vaccinated. And I’m not going to ask all the supporters in the stadium to get vaccinated either.”

Explaining that the continental calendar was “already very tight”, Platini added: “There can be up to 30 players in the squads of teams and so they should have enough players.

“If some players are sidelined because they have the (swine) flu, it doesn’t justify postponing the whole match.

“It would really have to be exceptional circumstances (for there to be a postponement).”

Platini said he had sent notice to all clubs under the auspices of UEFA, as well as all national federations, explaining that no matches would be postponed in the event players had contracted the virus.

BRUSSELS (AFP)

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Italy considers vaccinating players for swine flu

September 25, 2009

Italian football officials are considering large-scale vaccinations for players to protect against swine flu.

Italy coach Marcello Lippi told the ANSA news agency Friday that “the possibility of vaccinating all the players on every team is being considered.”

Earlier this month, Italy announced its first swine flu victim was a 51-year-old man with chronic heart problems who died in a Naples hospital.

Italy expects swine flu to peak between December and January, with 1.5 million to 3 million cases. A vaccination campaign beginning Nov. 15 will immunize up to 40 percent of Italy’s 60 million people. The first wave of vaccinations will target 9 million, including health workers. A second wave will begin in February.

Abhimanyu Rajput