Coronavirus: No Guarantees When Football Will Resume - FIFA President

 

As the world intensifies its battle against the coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic, FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, has assured that football will return, but only when it is safe to do so.

Allnews reports that sporting activities have been suspended around the world and essential administrative and organisational operations are being carried out remotely.

“Health comes first, then everything else,” Infantino told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“For the managers, the rest means hoping for the best but also preparing for the worst.

“Without panicking, let’s stay it clearly: we will play again when we can do it without putting anyone’s health at risk.

“Federations and Leagues are ready to follow the recommendations of the governments and the World Health Organization (WHO).

"I thank the doctors, nurses and all those who risk their lives to save others. They are heroes.”

Infantino points out that FIFA can help in many ways and how they are already collaborating with the different federations, like UEFA in Europe.

“We have shown a spirit of cooperation and solidarity with Europe and South America,” he added. “Now, let’s think about the calendar of the national sides, about temporary modifications and dispensations for the regulations on the status of players and transfers.

“We need to protect contracts and adapt the registration periods. Measures are needed, though. But we don’t have no choice. We will all have to make sacrifices.

“I don’t judge anyone. FIFA already had a four-year collaboration with WHO to promote a healthy lifestyle. But this is an emergency. We launched an awareness campaign with six of the top coaches asking to follow five key tactics: hands, elbow, face, distance, and contact.”

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Furthermore, the Swiss-Italian revealed that the Covid-19 outbreak will have a massive impact on the economy of football, and admitted it risks heading towards a recession along with the global economy.

“There is a risk. An assessment of the global economy impact is needed,” he added.

“It’s difficult right now, we don’t know when it will return to normal.

“But we look at the opportunities. We can perhaps reform world football by taking a step back. With different formats. Less tournaments, but more interesting. Maybe fewer teams, but more balanced. Less games, to protect the health of the players, but more competitive.

“It’s not science fiction, let’s talk about it. We quantify the damages, let’s see how we can cover them, we have to make sacrifices. The ones who managed their “company” in a healthy way, will benefit – then we start again.

“Not from scratch, we are privileged. But let’s all save football together, from a crisis that risks being irreversible.”

As of Monday, more than 349,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in over 190 countries and territories, resulting in more than 15,300 deaths and over 100,000 recoveries.