By Andrew Warshaw
March 13 – Despite the British government advising there was not yet any urgent need to ban large public gatherings including sports events, all professional football in England and Scotland has been suspended until at least April 3 as a result of the spread of coronavirus.
Premier League games, Football League fixtures and matches in the FA Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship have been called off as the football authorities took matters into their own hands.
The Premier League said games would resume on 4 April “subject to medical advice and conditions at the time”.
The Football Association said England’s international friendlies against Italy on March 27 and Denmark four days later are also off.
The decision follows an emergency meeting today between the Football Association, Premier League and Football League after a number of officials and players at various top-flight clubs tested positive for the virus. It means England and Scotland join leagues in a raft of other European countries in bringing the game to a halt.
On Thursday prime minister Boris Johnson cautioned against banning large-scale sports events saying that “the advice we’re receiving is that it will have little effect on the spread of the virus but there is also the issue of the burden such events place on public services.”
“There is little medical reasoning at the moment to ban such events and we want to keep that issue under review.”
But within a few hours of those comments, Manchester City, Leicester City, Everton and Chelsea all reported issues with corona affecting staff or players while Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta revealed he had contracted the virus and the club’s game at Brighton on Saturday was immediately called off.
“Following a meeting of shareholders today, it was unanimously decided to suspend the Premier League with the intention of returning on April 4,” the Premier League said in a joint statement.
The French league also suspended games Friday following those of Italy and Spain, leaving the German Bundesliga as the only one of Europe’s top-five ranked leagues still playing this weekend – but behind closed doors.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said: “In this unprecedented situation, we are working closely with our clubs, government, the FA and EFL and can reassure everyone the health and welfare of players, staff and supporters are our priority.”
The Premier League said its “aim is to reschedule the displaced fixtures”, while the Football Association said “all parties are committed at this time to trying to complete this season’s domestic fixture programme”.
Meanwhile Scottish Professional Football League boss Neil Doncaster said it was “neither realistic nor possible” to continue with games.
Doncaster had previously warned of “dire financial consequences” for clubs if matches were to take place without fans.
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