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Sports News of Monday, 16 March 2020

Source: www.mynigeria.com

Coronavirus: Wayne Rooney fumes at FA, says "I would never forgive the authorities"

Wayne Rooney Wayne Rooney

Manchester United and England legend, Wayne Rooney, has frowned at the Football Association and the British Government for delaying the postponement of games following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Arsenal's head coach, Mikel Arteta, and Chelsea youngster, Callum Hudson-Odoi, have both tested positive for COVID-19 and are reportedly in good conditions but Rooney feels it could have been avoided.

PL's 2019/20 season was postponed till at least 3 April after an emergency stakeholders meeting, with the Premier League saying "conditions at the time" will determine its return.

"For players, staff and their families it has been a worrying week," he said.

"One in which you felt a lack of leadership from the government and from the FA and Premier League."

Writing in his column in the Sunday Times, the former England captain said: "The rest of sport - tennis, Formula 1, rugby, golf, football in other countries - was closing down and we were being told to carry on.

"I think a lot of footballers were wondering, 'Is it something to do with money being involved in this?'. Why did we wait until Friday? Why did it take Mikel Arteta [Arsenal manager] to get ill for the game in England to do the right thing?

"After the emergency meeting, at last the right decision was made - until then it almost felt like footballers in England were being treated like guinea pigs.

"I know how I feel. If any of my family get infected through me because I've had to play when it's not safe, and they get seriously ill, I'd have to think hard about ever playing again. I would never forgive the authorities."

Rooney also spoke about how the already-affected football calendar could be rescheduled to allow fixtures to be fulfilled.

"We're happy to play until September if the season extends to then if that's how it has to be. That's our job," Rooney added.

"As long as we know we're safe to play and it's a safe environment for spectators, we'll play.

"The next World Cup is in November and December 2022, so you could actually use this situation as an opportunity and say we're going to finish the 2019-20 season later this year, then prepare for 2022 by having the next two seasons starting in winter."

Major sporting events including the NFL, NBA, La Liga, Serie A, Masters Tournament, Formula One, have already been postponed in other countries to limit the spread of the deadly virus which has infected over 160,000 people, killing almost 6,000 since it broke out in the Hubei province of Wuhan, China.

BBC