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Sports News of Tuesday, 28 April 2020

Source: www.mynigeria.com

FIFA calls for cancellation of Premier League

The PL season has been suspended since March The PL season has been suspended since March

World governing body FIFA's medical chief Michel D’Hooghe has called for the Premier League season to be scrapped.

This is coming after the French Ligue 1, Ligue 2, as well as the Dutch Eredivisie League, have been called off as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Although the Dutch league was rendered null and void, the Ligue 1 chiefs are reluctant to make the same decision.

Reports revealed that Prem chiefs want to complete the remaining 92 matches of this season adding to an alleged pressure from the Government, who is pushing them into rushing back earlier than expected.

In a chat with Sky Sports, D’Hooghe warned that restarting the league before September would risk a second wave of coronavirus attack.

He also said that it would be impossible to observe social distancing during a football match, adding that it would be risky for players.

“The world is not ready for competitive football. It is not a matter of money — it is a matter of life and death.

“If there is one moment where absolute priority should be given to health and medicine, it is this.

“That is why I ask everybody to be very careful before starting competitions again.

“I will be happy if we can have nothing before the start of next season.

“If they could start the 2020-21 in September they could eventually avoid a second attack from the virus.”

“It is a terrible responsibility at the moment — the most dramatic situation we have lived in since the Second World War.

“You cannot play in the Premier League when players have to remain two metres apart.

“Have you ever tried playing football in a mask? This does not avoid social distancing.

“Players are together on the field, in the dressing room.

“Of course, you could say, ‘Let’s play behind closed doors’.

“But even then, you will see groups of fans coming secretly together in rooms just to support their team anyway.

“Testing is an important point but you have to repeat them.

“If one of the players becomes positive, you have to put the whole group into quarantine.

“Is that a solution for a normal competition?

“Football has to be patient. It has to listen to the authorities and respect the basic health rules.”

The Sun