AS Golbey/Epinal is not a UFO in the National 1 landscape. The Omicron variant which is rampant on all continents now modifies the intentions of everyone in general and of sports clubs in particular. In this third hexagonal division, several entities have already made use of match postponements due to positive cases or contacts within their workforce.
The Vosges association has not escaped this sad reality. In fact, the match last Friday, January 14, against Orchies, could not take place due to four cases within Laurent Mathis’ flag squad. A meeting that has just been rescheduled for February 15. “The Federation (FFBB) imposed it on us because it is the only date that remains available before the end of the first phase (February 18)”, indicates President Murielle Nourdin. That’s it for this file.
There is a second. Namely the one concerning the match between ASGE and its counterpart in Pont-de-Chéruy, which was to be held this Tuesday, January 18. If we voluntarily use the conditional, it is because this late meeting of the 16th day will not take place. For the second time then. At the time, on Friday December 17, it was the Isérois club which was hit by Covid-19. “Of the four Covid cases that we had, we still have three still in isolation”, concedes the leader, while the players concerned carried out their test at D + 4 this Monday morning. “Suddenly, we have the right to request the postponement, which I did”, continues Murielle Nourdin. “All requests had to reach the Fed before 2 p.m. this Monday, mine arrived at noon. »
Postponed to February 22
The authorities finally followed the protocol and validated the postponement of the meeting. A match which, in the process, found a new place in an overloaded calendar (the teams play every three days until February 11 inclusive). “There will inevitably be a problem”, highlights the president of ASGE. “With the match postponed from this Tuesday, we have exceeded the date of the first phase. This is already the case for other teams. So what does that mean. Do we modify the championship, by shifting it in time? Are we changing the calendar because everyone will not be able to replay their matches (before this date of February 18)?, Asks Mureille Nourdin. It will undoubtedly be a problem that the Fed will have to manage. »
Neither one nor two, the FFBB has indicated that this ASGE – Pont-de-Chéruy will take place on February 22. Either after the end of the first phase and during the fifteen-day international break.
What the rules say
The procedure for the postponement of a championship match depends on criteria regulated by the French Basketball Federation, in conjunction with the Ministry of Health.
Concretely, a postponement is motivated by at least three players who tested positive or contact cases who do not have a complete vaccination schedule and these players played at least five games with the team concerned during the 2021-2022 season.
Any request (for postponement) must be made before 2 p.m. the day before the match and will be studied by the Federal 5×5 Commission which will decide whether to play or postpone the game. On the other hand, any request made after 2 p.m. the day before the match (except for a match taking place at the weekend) will justify a postponement or a withdrawal from the 5×5 Commission.
