JAKARTA - Domestic football in Europe's top five leagues and several other countries is still being suspended for an undetermined time due to the COVID-19 pandemic or the corona virus. FIFA President Gianni Infantino said that when football returns to activity, it will certainly be 'different' compared to before.
Governments around the world are working to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. So far, there have been nearly one million confirmed cases worldwide and more than 52,000 people have died after testing positive for the disease.
Last week, FIFA chairman Infantino had an interview with La Gazetta dello Sport in which he pondered the possibility of reforming football to try to overcome the disruption to the calendar. However, the reforms in question have only been limited to cutting the number of matches this season so as not to sacrifice next season.
While at the 72nd Congress of the Ordinary CONMEBOL during his speech via videolink, Infantino emphasized the message that dealing with the coronavirus crisis remains the most pressing issue.
"Football is not the most important thing, health is first and must remain our priority until this disease is defeated," he said, launching Soccerway, Friday, April 3.
Health first while thinking of the future - https://t.co/Gkjy1A9ZDW
- FIFA Media (@fifamedia) April 2, 2020
"The world is facing new challenges and we have to stay together and work as a team. This is the lesson that football can teach: working as a team."
Infantino continued, although all parties want to see football again, they don't know when the round skin sport will return. Not even a single person in the entire world knows when they will be able to play like before.
👐 Hands💪 Elbow🙂 Face↔️ Distance🤒 FeelLet some of football's biggest names tell you what you need to be doing to help tackle # COVID19.ℹ️Learn more 👇https: //t.co/iDwqhk1Nor@WHO | @GaryLineker | @ Alissonbecker @ CarliLloyd | @teammessi | @ setoo9 pic.twitter.com/cbW2o2hWuC
- FIFA.com (@FIFAcom) March 23, 2020
It is very important, he said, that football follows instructions from health authorities and governments, and it is imperative that football sets a good example.
"Because it is clear that no match is more important than human life," said Infantino.
"This is what we need to clear in our minds, while at the same time ... working confidently and thinking positively towards the future."
He also emphasized the importance of every soccer person looking forward and not being passive, because the corona virus pandemic will affect them. "The world and our sport will be different once we return to normal," he continued.
"It is our responsibility as football administrators, first of all to ensure football can survive and secondly to move forward once again. This is not only our responsibility but also our responsibility," he concluded.
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