FIFA President Gianni Infantino says the world governing body could step in to cancel next month’s England international friendlies because of the coronavirus.
Infantino insisted that the football world should not “panic” over the global spread of the killer virus and that he expected this summer’s Euro 2020 to take place.
Gianni Infantino has admitted that Fifa are prepared to take action to prevent the spread of the coronavirusCredit: AP:Associated Press
But asked directly by SunSport if Fifa should intervene to call off the March friendly dates, including England’s Wembley games with Italy and Denmark, Infantino admitted: “I wouldn’t exclude anything at this moment.
“I hope we will never have to go in this direction.
“It will be difficult in any case to make a global ban because the situation is really different in many parts of the world.
“But leath of people is much more important than any football game and that’s why we have to look at the situation and hope that it will decrease rather than increase.
“At the moment it looks like it is still increasing.
“If games have to be postponed or played without spectators until it is over then we have to go through that.”
If games have to be postponed or played without spectators until it is over then we have to go through that
Fifa President Gianni Infantino
The FA is still planning for both Euro 2020 warm-up games to take place as scheduled but will be guided by government advice over the next four weeks.
And Infantino said that football has to liaise with government and health experts although he added: “We have to look at it seriously.
“We can’t underestimate the situation and say it’s nothing but we don’t have to overreact and panic.”
Serie A has ordered this weekend’s games in Italy to be played behind closed doors and there are fears that Uefa and the Premier League might have to follow suit to help complete the season.
Infantino, though, said: “I don’t think it is sustainable but that is my personal view.
“Every competition organiser has to decide what is best for them.
“In the short term it can be a solution in order to move on but you cannot imagine a few months of a competition with several matches played behind closed doors.”
President Donald Trump meets with FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the White House after winning 2026 World Cup bid with Mexico and Canada
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
