After four and a half months of remote and work-from-home activities due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the club's youth soccer team began a gradual return to in-person training at the George Helal Training Center on August 3rd, with the U-18 and U-20 categories. Shortly thereafter, on the 31st of the same month, the U-16 and U-17 categories returned. Throughout the shutdown, the youth soccer module was fully adapted and its structure prepared to welcome athletes, coaching staff, and staff in the safest possible manner, strictly adhering to all protocols recommended by health authorities.

 

The greatest indication that the work and all preventive care regarding health and safety are being carried out correctly is that, two weeks after the return of its approximately 70 members, including athletes and technical committees, the U-16 and U-17 categories were retested for COVID-19 on the mornings of September 10th and 11th, with 9% of the tests returning negative results for the presence of the virus.

 

"We are following all protocols recommended by health authorities, with clinical evaluations, temperature checks, and daily epidemiological surveys. Furthermore, on the day of the return after the period of absence, we tested all athletes, coaching staff members, and staff with RT-PCR + serology (IgG and IgM), and performed clinical and cardiological evaluations on all athletes. Athletes or staff members who tested positive were promptly removed from any activity and retested for COVID-19 after two weeks, when new clinical and cardiological evaluations were also performed. There have been no further confirmed suspected cases of COVID-19," explained Dr. Gustavo Dutra, chief physician and coordinator of the Health and High Performance Department (DSAR) for Flamengo's Youth Football team.

 

All this concern and care demonstrated daily by the club for its athletes and staff gives parents and family members great peace of mind and security. Many are aware that, at the training center, their children have the opportunity to receive much better care and close monitoring than they would at home.

 

"Our entire family is very pleased with the work Flamengo is doing regarding the health protocol to combat the coronavirus. We've noticed the club's tremendous care and concern for our sons, which gives us a sense of security and peace of mind. If he were still at home, unable to return to in-person training, he certainly wouldn't have been tested yet, as we unfortunately can't offer Werton all this support. With the weekly testing and daily monitoring he receives at the club, I can sleep soundly. Flamengo provides us with excellent service, including regarding COVID-19 pandemic precautions. Furthermore, returning to training at the training center is crucial for his development as an athlete," said Paulo Rêgo, father of Werton Rêgo, a forward on the U-17 team.

 

Leading the implementation of this entire process is Eduardo Freeland, the club's Youth Football Manager. Attentive to every detail, he spoke comprehensively to the official website about the work being done and the importance of the return of in-person activities at the training center and games for the continued personal development of young people, both as athletes and human beings.

 

"The new reality has brought and continues to bring countless challenges for all of us. Since the novel coronavirus pandemic was declared by the WHO in mid-March, we have been carrying out high-level work in homeschooling with all age groups (from U-7 to U-20), which has yielded very positive results, including monitoring athletes and their behavioral fluctuations caused by this situation. We have also maintained direct contact with families by phone to learn about their routines and assist with any needs through guidance.

 

We're thrilled with the return of the teams to the training center. We realize this joy is shared by the athletes, who are highly motivated to resume their careers, with training and matches. All the efforts of FERJ and the CBF to maintain the competition calendar were crucial. This also impacts the employees, who need to stay active, as their families depend on them.

 

Of course, this moment demands great care, and therefore, we have maintained a high level of alert regarding the health control and prevention of everyone involved, with a strict protocol and regular testing. Furthermore, Flamengo offers an excellent physical structure and highly capable professionals, which gives us greater security throughout this process. We are certain that if everything continues to be conducted with due care, as it is, we will continue to contribute increasingly to the development of these young people," concludes Freeland.