Tottenham duo Serge Aurier and Moussa Sissoko have both apologised for flouting government guidelines on social distancing.
On Tuesday, Aurier shared a video on his Instagram page showing him and his teammate Sissoko training alongside each other during the UK lockdown.
Instagram
It first looked like Aurier and Sissoko were keeping their distance
Instagram
However, both men are clearly seen running close to each other
Instagram
Aurier wore a mask and gloves, but did not implement social distancing with Sissoko
The club said they would be speaking to both players, who have now said sorry and pledged to donate to the NHS to show support for those fighting the coronavirus pandemic.
The pair said in a joint statement: “We recognise that as professional footballers we have a responsibility to be role models, particularly during this uncertain period that everyone around the world is facing.
“We wish to apologise for not setting the right example here. We must all respect the government advice to minimise the number of lives lost during this pandemic.
“We cannot thank NHS staff enough for their tireless work at this time and we shall both be making a financial donation to show our support for their efforts.”
The incident came just two weeks after Spurs hit the headlines when manager Jose Mourinho was pictured holding a one-on-one training session in north London with midfielder Tanguy Ndombele.
Mourinho was forced to admit his mistake, saying his “actions were not in line with government protocol”.
On the same day Ryan Sessegnon and Davison Sanchez were filmed running side-by-side, while Aurier has also posted a video of him running with a friend.
Tottenham subsequently said they had reminded players’ of their responsibilites to respect social distancing when exercising outdoors.
But Tuesday’s video is another clear breach of the government guidelines, which say you can only exercise outdoors on your own or with members of the same household.
Sanchez and Sessegnon pictured jogging side-by-side
Give COVID-19 the red card
The quicker we work together to stop coronavirus spreading, the sooner we can get back into the pubs, the gyms and stadiums and arenas to see live sport again…
STAY AT HOME. Only leave for the following purposes:
- to shop for basic essentials – only when you really need to
- to do one form of exercise a day – such as a run, walk or cycle, alone or with other people you live with
- for any medical need – for example, to visit a pharmacy or deliver essential supplies to a vulnerable person
- to travel to and from work – but only where this is absolutely necessary
For more info and tips, visit the NHS website.
The government has also issued further detail on what we can do during lockdown.
Everyone should do what they can to stop coronavirus spreading.
Tottenham came under fire last month when they announced they would be utlising the government’s job retention scheme.
The Premier League club announced they intended to reduce the wages of 550 non-playing staff for April and May by 20 per cent, utilising, where appropriate, the furlough scheme that allows up to 80 per cent of wages up to £2,500 to be paid by the state.
But a strong backlash from supporters has brought about a belated U-turn from last season’s Champions League finalists.
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