Bill Hamid, one of the best goalkeepers in MLS, took to social media to trash restrictive social distancing rules surrounding the upcoming MLS Is Back Tournament. This being social media in 2020, it took no time at all for someone to point out how Hamid has failed to properly social distance himself lately.
Major League Soccer is returning with the MLS Is Back Tournament, a weird little competition that will mark the return of the league from its coronavirus hiatus. The month-long tournament will all be played in Orlando, Florida, at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, and the league has instituted strict regulations to keep everyone safe and healthy during the ongoing pandemic. (Yes, we’re still in a pandemic.)
The MLS rules are listed here and include comprehensive testing, temperature screening, mask wearing, social distancing and general hygiene and cleaning/disinfecting. What drew the ire of Hamid was the rule requiring all players, coaches, staff and media — anyone participating in the tournament in any way — to stay in the approved areas (hotels and soccer facilities) for the duration of the tournament or until that person’s team is eliminated from the tournament.
Bill Hamid doesn’t appreciate not being able to leave his hotel.
— Bill Hamid (@BillHamid28) June 15, 2020
“I have no problem with the Orlando tournament,” Hamid wrote. “Looking forward to playing! To lock us on the Disney campus like we are in jail or like us as grown men don’t know how to live freely and still protect ourselves and our teammates is ridiculous! We aren’t children who need supervision! I don’t agree with being locked on the campus, and I’ve said this from the beginning. I know how to wear a mask and social distance myself from people. We’ve agreed to this tournament, we’ve agreed to get sticks up our nose every two days. Now I believe we deserve the respect to not be locked up like we are animals or in jail.”
This is a tough situation for MLS. The league needs to ensure the safety of all of its players and staff while also respecting the freedoms of individual players. MLS went with the safest possible option by preventing people from leaving the “bubble” it will create in Orlando, but not everyone agrees with this decision.
While Hamid may say he knows how to properly social distance, does everyone else in the league? And for that matter, how can we be sure Hamid knows how to socially distance himself? All one has to do is visit Hamid’s Instagram page and look at his Stories to see three videos of him in a large group of people.
Is this you??? pic.twitter.com/8nOvMPu7nH
— Josh (@JalbyMD) June 15, 2020
Oof.
To be fair to Hamid, it’s possible he’s been quarantining with all of these folks. Then again, that’s a lot of people.
In the end, I don’t think you can fault MLS for doing everything it can to ensure players stay healthy and safe. COVID-19 is no joke and everyone needs to do their part to prevent its spread, even that means being confined to a hotel room while being paid to play soccer.
