The Russian Football Union (RFU) said on Tuesday it suspended all its competitions from March 17 to April 10 due to the threat of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th March, 2020) The Russian Football Union (RFU) said on Tuesday it suspended all its competitions from March 17 to April 10 due to the threat of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Earlier, a source told Sputnik that all football, hockey and basketball competitions in Russia had been suspended until April 10.
"Due to the threat of the spread of coronavirus infection (2019-nCoV) in Russia, all football sporting events held under the auspices of the RFU, including competitions organized or conducted by leagues, regional football federations and their associations, are suspended from March 17, 2020 until April 10, 2020, inclusively," the RFU said after a meeting of its executive committee.
Russia's top-tier, as well as second- and third-tier competitions have been suspended, but their outright cancellation has yet to be considered, RFU spokesman Kirill Melnikov told Sputnik.
"We expect the clubs to suspend matches and team meetings. The top-, second- and third-tier championships are suspended, [but] we are not discussing the cancellation of tournaments," Melnikov said.
On Wednesday, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of the new coronavirus a pandemic. The disease has already affected many sporting events across the globe, forcing organizers either to reschedule or suspend them, or have games play out without spectators.
