‘It’s not a matter of money – it is life or death,’ – FIFA Medical Chief
- FIFA Medical Chief has called on European Leagues to cancel the current campaign and resume in late summer
- Some European leagues are planning to resume games
- Bundesliga plans to resume games on May 9
- Mental Health and Psychosocial considerations during the COVID-19 Pandemic
FIFA’s Chief Medical Michel D’Hooghe has called on European leagues to cancel the current football season.
D’Hooghe believes that resumption of football may cause a deadly second resurgence of the coronavirus pandemic.
He further advised that football should only resume late in August or early September with a rush to resume the games could risk dire health repercussions.
While speaking to the Daily Telegraph, D’Hooghe said:
‘We are all subject to decisions at national level from the public authorities. It is very simple. Football suddenly becomes not the most important thing in life.
‘I will be happy if we can start, in a convenient way, the next championship and have nothing before the start of next season.
‘If they could start the season 2020-21 end of August or beginning of September I would be happy. Then they could eventually avoid a second attack from the virus, which is not impossible.
‘Everyone has to be very careful for the moment. I have heard in many countries they are thinking about playing football again, with or without the public.
In my long career I have seen many situations where there has been a balance between economic and health. Mostly the economics won, whether that was about jetlag or football at altitude or in extreme conditions such as pollution situations.
‘If there is one circumstance where medical arguments should win against economical arguments, it is now. It is not a matter of money, it is a matter of life and death. It is very simple.’
