Impact of covid-19 and the accumulation of games of the brazilian championship teams of serie A in 2021

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit everyone in the world in the last two years. All areas of life were affected, including football. Brazilian football, as it could not fail to be, had to be reformulated in a matter of months and the athletes were the hardest hit. We saw championships starting in one year and ending in another and requiring even more from football athletes. Characterized as quantitative analysis, based on the calendars provided by the State Football Federations, Brazilian Football Confederations and South American (CONMEBOL), the aim of this study was to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on the calendar and the accumulation of games to which the teams were submitted. When analyzing the numbers, we saw teams reaching more than 130 games in a row, with just over three and a half days of recovery between matches which, physiologically, is absurd. We conclude, then, that there was a huge demand on the athletes of Brazilian football. Teams seeking to improve their financial issues, being submitted to four, five championships in parallel, without bringing adequate rest to players and committees, who see their training plans being exchanged for a model without any preparation for athletes, disregarding what is studied in terms of excess load, detraining and recovery. Finally, this season, there would be the opportunity for a valuation of smaller teams in terms of winning titles, giving more visibility to players and more time for the main teams to prepare for the main competitions of the calendar.