Almost three quarters of the total number of players in the two largest leagues in Portuguese football are vaccinated against Covid-19. According to the Portuguese Professional Football League, which drew up a vaccination plan in July to be applied to 34 sports societies, according to the General Directorate of Health, 73.7 percent of Ligue and Ligue 2 footballers have already been vaccinated.
Clubs registered for UEFA competitions were the first to defend their players, and those who refuse the vaccine must still have a negative PCR test before every game. After ten rounds at two levels, the League was forced to postpone the match between Akademika and Estrela of the 4th round of League 2 due to a series of infections at the Amador club.
Vaccination as an advice, not a duty, in sports was normalized after the Olympic Games in Tokyo – from July 23 to August 8, one year after the scheduled date precisely because of the pandemic – in accordance with the recommendation of the International Olympic Committee. following the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Pfizer Laboratories and BioNTech for the provision of vaccines to athletes and members of participating delegations.
