FIFA chief warns against re-starting football too early

 

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - UEFA Congress - Beurs van Berlage Conference Centre, Amsterdam, Netherlands - March 3, 2020 FIFA President Gianni Infantino during the UEFA Congress REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo

 

BERN (Reuters) - FIFA president Gianni Infantino has warned against re-starting football too early amid the coronavirus pandemic, telling FIFA's 211 member associations on Friday that such behaviour would be irresponsible.

 

Soccer around the world has come to a standstill with domestic leagues on hold and major tournaments such as Euro 2020 and the Copa America postponed for one year.

 

"Our first priority, our principle, the one we will use for our competitions and encourage everyone to follow is that health comes first," Infantino said in a statement on Friday which FIFA said was specially aimed at its members.

 

"I cannot stress this enough. No match, no competition, no league is worth risking a single human life. Everyone in the world should have this very clear in their mind."

 

Meanwhile, discussions are being held around the world over when and how to re-start the season while in some countries there are disagreements over whether players should face pay cuts.

 

"It would be more than irresponsible to force competitions to resume if things are not 100 per cent safe," Infantino said.

 

"If we have to wait a little longer we must do so. It’s better to wait a little bit longer than to take any risks."

 

Infantino reiterated that FIFA was assessing the financial impact of the stoppage so it could prepare the right response.

 

"You have to know that we will be there and we will find solutions together," he said. "You will never be alone… (and) the world will know where the money goes and, equally important, why the money goes there.

 

"If football manages to have a discussion where everyone contributes positively, and keeps in mind the global interest over the individual one, I am convinced our future can be better than our past, and we will be better prepared for the times ahead," Infantino added.

 

(Reporting by Brian Homewood, editing by Ed Osmond)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-04-11

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At least playing games behind closed doors, then streamed live on TV for free would keep lots of people in.

9 minutes ago, sungod said:

At least playing games behind closed doors, then streamed live on TV for free would keep lots of people in.

As long as all the pubs stay shut.

5 minutes ago, wilai said:

As long as all the pubs stay shut.

If its free on TV then many would stay home anyway, but it could be part of a phased return to some form of normality, whatever that would look like ????

If police and military can be moved around from place to place then there is no logical reason that a busload of footballers cannot be moved to a non-spectator match. 

panem et circenses

 

The government must provide bread and circuses to stop the masses from revolting.

A FIFA spokesperson said, "We are very concerned that if more tournaments are cancelled, we may have to outsource our bribe taking to the mafia."

Easy for him to be grandstanding about saving a single life  as he's $$loaded$ with filthy UEFA money. Unlike him people need to work to feed themselves and their families.

I notice he did not state that FIFA officials are taking a 50% cut in salary

7 hours ago, Ian Nagle said:

Easy for him to be grandstanding about saving a single life  as he's $$loaded$ with filthy UEFA money. Unlike him people need to work to feed themselves and their families.

He has that job on merit, not like Sepp Blatter who was answerable to no-one. Having the responsibilty of such a post should be rewarded handsomely otherwise we would live in a world of socialism where everyone would want to drive a taxi instead of wanting to become a surgeon, an engineer or a physicist for example