MLS: Players can return to facilities for individual workouts next week

Atlanta United defender Fernando Meza runs drills at the team's training facility during training at the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground, Monday, January 13, 2020. (ALYSSA POINTER/ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM)

Credit: Alyssa Pointer

Credit: Alyssa Pointer

Atlanta United defender Fernando Meza runs drills at the team's training facility during training at the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground, Monday, January 13, 2020. (ALYSSA POINTER/ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM)

Atlanta United players will be allowed to train individually on outdoor fields at the team's facility in a league-wide decision announced by MLS on Friday.
Teams haven't been allowed to train in groups since March 12 in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19.
The workouts are voluntary and must follow a team's state and local guidelines.

Groups can’t train together until at least May 16.

According to the league, before initiating any individual player workouts, a team must submit to MLS a plan that outlines how it will implement health and safety protocols, including:

  • Restricting training facility access to essential staff only, with specific staff listed in the plan.
  • Sanitization and disinfection plans for all training equipment and spaces, including disinfection of any equipment used by players (balls, cones, goals) between every session.
  • Completion of a Standard Screening Assessment survey by each player prior to every arrival at the training site, and temperature checks upon arrival at the facility.
  • Staggered player and staff arrivals and departures, with designated parking spaces to maintain maximum distance between vehicles.
  • Player use of personal protective equipment from the parking lot to the field, and again on return to the parking lot.
  • Staff use of the appropriate personal protective equipment throughout training, while also maintaining a minimum distance of 10 feet from players at all times.
  • Hand washing and disinfectant stations for required use before and after individual workouts.
  • Clubs will have the use of the outdoor fields at their training facility, divided into a maximum of four quadrants per field. A maximum of one player per quadrant may participate per training session with no equipment sharing or playing (passing, shooting) between players.
  • An Emergency Action Plan for all COVID-19 related issues.