FIFA’s Chief Medic, Michael D’Hooghe, has warned the EPL and German Bundesliga against resuming their leagues amid the Coronavirus pandemic.
Michael D’Hooghe said football chiefs should see the Coronavirus crisis as a ‘life and death’ situation and postpone football till August as players spitting on the pitch could unleash deadly second wave of the virus.
D’Hooghe expressed concern that players on a football field would not be able to adhere to these rules fearing changing jerseys, showering together and spitting on the ground could spread the virus. He said:
‘We are all subject to decisions at national level from the public authorities. It is very simple. Football suddenly becomes not the most important thing in life.
‘I will be happy if we can start, in a convenient way, the next championship and have nothing before the start of next season.
‘If they could start the season 2023-21 end of August or beginning of September I would be happy. Then they could eventually avoid a second attack from the virus, which is not impossible.
‘Everyone has to be very careful for the moment. I have heard in many countries they are thinking about playing football again, with or without the public.
‘In my long career I have seen many situations where there has been a balance between economic and health. Mostly the economics won, whether that was about jetlag or football at altitude or in extreme conditions such as pollution situations.
‘If there is one circumstance where medical arguments should win against economical arguments, it is now. It is not a matter of money, it is a matter of life and death. It is very simple.’
Related Post:
- 'It's not a matter of money, it's life or death'- FIFA medical chief tells English and German leagues to cancel the season like France and start again in August
- 'It's not a matter of money, it's life or death'- FIFA medical chief tells English and German leagues to cancel the season like France and start again in August
- FIFA rejects petition to investigate Amaju Pinnick over corruption allegations ahead of FIFA council election
- NFF President, Amaju Pinnick cleared by FIFA to contest FIFA Council elections
- EU ‘gravely concerned’ about US sanctioning ICC officials investigating its troops, urges DC to reverse its decision — Newzandar
- Jeff Bezos urges Amazon workers to cancel all meetings on Juneteenth
- Why New York Times praises ‘cancel culture’ but skips over its own racist history: Goodwin
- Zambia: Govt Asks China to Cancel Its Debt
- Philadelphia makes its bid to host 2026 FIFA World Cup games