Russian Premier League (RPL) expects to resume the championship of the country, interrupted by a coronavirus pandemic, at the end of June, but does not exclude a variant in which the season finished all-taki will not be. In this case, the continuation will receive one of the most fun and challenging in domestic football history — with the expansion of the top division. RPL offers at the failure of the season just add to 16 players in this teams two of the following rank the national Football League (FNL). Previously, the idea of extension is, in fact, blocked the Russian football Union.Monday held a meeting of leaders of the Russian Premier League and Russian football Union with the clubs ‘ representatives on preparations for the resumption of the season, which was interrupted in mid-March. And its results should be considered very optimistic compared to findings of previous meetings. In the application of RPL for the first time, told not just about the intention to resume the championship, stopped in March in eight rounds to the end, and named the probable date of resumption.RPL reports that suggested the clubs two versions of the calendar for the rest of the season based on the fresh recommendations of the Union of European football associations (UEFA): according to them, the national championship should be completed in early August. From the statement it follows that in the meeting also discussed the return of foreign players and staff at clubs (restriction on entry for foreign citizens in Russia valid until may 1). In addition, RPL has informed that together with the RFU and the CPS will develop recommendations for commands associated with the return to training process, and the regulations of the match without spectators. It describes all the essential aspects concerning the organization of the games in terms of existing restrictions on holding mass events.The agenda was also the question of the exchange of clubs between the leagues after the season. It is already obvious that the current regulations will not be complied with. It the top division leaving two worst teams (their places are taken the best from Germany), and two play-off matches with clubs from second division status.The statement describes two new RPL script exchange. They are studied by working groups of the Premier League and the RFU, with the Executive Committee which takes the final decision. In one we are talking about a situation when the basic plan is implemented — with the completing of the season. Then from the calendar will disappear the play-offs. Directly leave the League two club, and two “eligible license” will rise to the top.Another scenario is tied to the recognition impossible due to the epidemiological situation to finish the season. According to the concept of RPL, if you have to resort to it, the League lose nothing. Nao��Orot to 16 members added two of FNL. In this case, because of the density of calendar next season “will be without the Cup games,” and after the League returns to the format with 16 clubs.In January a General meeting of RPL advocated the extension is not changing for two decades in the number of participants of the championship from 16 to 18 clubs with the aim to increase its intensity and appeal. The President of the League Sergey Pryadkin noted that such a task was set last year by the head of the RFU Alexander Dyukov. Mr. Dyukov and in fact at the time focused on the idea to expand the membership of the Premier League.Meanwhile, a few days after the General meeting of the RFU actually blocked the extension. And its Secretary-General Alexander Alaev, explaining why the structure is strongly against expansion, saying that “to play 18 teams in the RPL with adequate rotation, we should have at least 25 clubs that meet on infrastructure and financial criteria of the level of the Premier League,” and stated that “at the moment the economic base for the reform we have.”The Secretary General of the Union of football players and trainers of Russia Nikolay Grammatikov has agreed with this statement, saying, “Kommersant” that “the extension possible subject to financial and infrastructure requirements,” and in Russia “there are not enough stable teams.” As a positive example, he cited the Mexican League, he recently announced the closure of six years, saying that in a difficult situation “no one will invest money in the clubs, their salvation, if there is a risk of departure”.This is the “economic component of the League”, which performs the functions of “commercial donor” inherent in Europe’s leading leagues: “Our champion receives from her only about $5 million.” Nikolay Grammatikov considers that the incident with the coronavirus can serve as an additional incentive for carrying out “substantial economic reforms” in RPL and even facilitate them, taking into account the relief, which is ready to go UEFA. For example, he believes that such reform should include “more opportunities for owners clubs”, even down to allowing them to have a share in the other teams, that is, before legal registration “already de facto, on the conceptual basis of existing farm teams”.Alex Armor
