On August 31, 2024 (Sat), in the 29th round of the 2024 Meiji Yasuda J1 League, the match between Sanfrecce Hiroshima (EDION PEACE WING HIROSHIMA) was held. Due to the uncertainty of the criteria for determining whether the match could be held or not due to Typhoon No. 10, we have submitted a statement of opinion to the J-League for future operational improvements. We would like to report this to you.
The content of the opinion letter (summary) is mainly as follows.
[What I perceive as the issue this time]
1. Consideration was not given to important factors in making the decision to hold/cancel the match.
- Impact on Away Team Players Involved in Accidents, etc.
In the case of transportation stoppage caused by natural disasters, it is considered a force majeure and is similar to an accident. In this case, it greatly affected the players' health. Fairness between the home and away teams should be ensured, and matches should be avoided in situations where there is a significantly increased risk of player injuries and accidents.
- Ensuring the safety of away team fans and supporters
During our club's hearing, the reasons for the cancellation of other matches during this period (5 matches were cancelled due to the impact of Typhoon No. 10) were also taken into consideration, such as the difficulty of away team fans and supporters to travel and ensuring safety. Although the situation may be slightly different, the impact of the typhoon on away team fans and supporters should have been considered in this match as well.
2. J League has the authority to determine whether a match can be held, but without clearly stating the criteria or deadline for the decision, both the home team and the away team were left in limbo regarding the decision to proceed or cancel, and how to respond to it.
If J League does not provide clear criteria or a deadline for the decision, the away team, in this case, will be constantly chasing after the changing situation. J League should have proactively monitored the situation and made a decision at the appropriate time.
[Request]
According to Article 62, Paragraph 2, Item 1 of the J-League Regulations, the decision to implement/cancel in the event of natural disasters, public transportation disruptions, etc. is to be made by the Chairman, but the application of this provision is ambiguous. Therefore, we request the following.
- J-League will take the lead in implementing clearer criteria and decision dates for determining whether to hold or cancel matches until the day of the match.
- In regards to those criteria, we prioritize ensuring a certain level of fairness for both the home and away teams, and especially for the J-League's goal of showcasing the best performance on the pitch, it is important to establish it with a player-first approach. We also consider the safety of the team, including the players, and the fans and supporters.
Above
