The FAI have issued a handshake ban at games in the League of Ireland games. The organisation say the players will be prohibited from shaking hands with opponents and match officials. This ban will in place “until further notice”.
The handshake ban follows a directive from UEFA and is also in line with what the World Health Organisation have recommended to minimise the spread of the deadly coronavirus. A statement by the FAI confirmed the news, it said, “The Football Association of Ireland has today issued a directive to all affiliates instructing them that players are not to shake hands with their opponents or match officials at all games under FAI jurisdiction”.
They stated the ban comes in “immediately”, this will also remain in place till further notice they said. The statement continued, “The decision has been taken in line with recommendations made by the World Health Organisation to minimise potential transmission of COVID-19.
The FAI are not the first organisation to bring this ban in. The English Premier League and the English FA also confirmed they were putting a stop to the gesture of fairplay before games also until further notice.
Plenty of games have been either postponed or played behind closed doors. Serie A games for example will be played without spectators for the next month. Italy’s game with England in the Six Nations is called off as Ireland’s game against France at the Stade De France. These games will likely be played later in the year to determine who will win the Six Nations for 2020.
