Several clubs have seen their players go down with the virus forcing several cancellations.
The Omicron variant of COVID-19 is top news these days.
There has been a shield on football from world politics for a long time. The advent of the coronavirus has dragged the world’s most popular sport into the mix and forced its administrators to make far-reaching decisions.
Recently, the coronavirus has reportedly spread amongst players in the Premier League, with several cancellations. Tottenham Hotspur is still in a row with UEFA over the state of its match with Rennes due to the English side’s inability to honour its engagement.
The latest report is that several English Premier League clubs are backing a proposal to see the season paused for about three weeks to stem the rising tide of COVID-19 cases.
Clubs back pausing of the league
The Omicron variant of COVID-19 is disrupting the return to normalcy. The spread of the virus is gaining momentum, and according to several news reports, football took a hit where it hurts. It has led to a proposal for the pausing of the league till January.
According to Rob Dawson of ESPN, more clubs have joined the bandwagon of those who believe the best thing for the league is the postponement of the remaining matches of 2021. The proposal suggests this move as the best way to arrest the surging cases of positive COVID-19 tests.
The proposal expects some Premier League matches to be postponed, with play resuming on January 7. The suggested date will see a return to action in time for the third round of the FA Cup.
A decision on any postponement is yet to be reached by the EPL. Under pressure, CAF has insisted on pressing on with the Africa Cup of Nations in January.
Rising cases and match cancellations
According to Dawson, several clubs have seen a number of their players contract the COVID-19 virus. It has resulted in the suspension of a handful of games.
According to Manchester Evening News, only nine Manchester United players were available for their Tuesday Premier League game against Brentford. The match was postponed, as was Saturday’s game against Brighton & Hove Albion.
Another match to be cancelled was Thursday’s tie between Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur. Burnley’s Tuesday clash with Watford is another game hit by the rash of COVID-19 related postponements.
In the US, the NHL and NBA have called off some games, but the NFL has yet to go that route despite a few clubs reporting a surge in cases.
The Premier League is yet to comment on the proposal. It means that the games scheduled for the festive period up until January will go on as planned.
By :
Steven D. Thompson
