By Akanimo Kufre (Akwa Ibom/Cross River Correspondent of The New Diplomat)
What used to be bubbling weekends of football drawing week-long enthusiasm would be reduced to tales of boredom among fans in Nigeria and elsewhere in the world. Some few weeks ago that would have sounded unthinkable. Alas! In the meantime, Coronavirus has become the common denominator on the planet.
To halt the continuous spread of the global pandemic, the management of the elite English Premier League (EPL) after its meeting with shareholders announced that all fixtures including English Football League (EFL) Championship, the FA Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship have been postponed till April 4 and that’s hanging on conditions surrounding the pandemic situation before that time.
The league said the action became necessary as Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi tested positive for coronavirus with many of the league players currently on self-isolation.
“Following a meeting of shareholders today, it was unanimously decided to suspend the Premier League with the intention of returning on 4 April, subject to medical advice and conditions at the time,” the Premier League said in a statement.
Minutes after the news broke, most football fans in Nigeria have continued to express displeasure with the situation, becoming worried over how a weekend will look like without those entertaining football fixtures.
From fans whose weekends are being defined by EPL fixtures to sports gamblers and betting companies that rake in several millions simply by getting fans to predict match outcomes, everyone has got tales of disappointment as COVID-19 continuous to prove itself as the greatest disruptor in human history.
Here are some takes:
#PremierLeague suspended until next month 😭. I'm not okay 💔 what are weekends without football 😥😥😥😥
— Chelsea Babe 🐾 (@Boitumelo_MB) March 13, 2020
I don't party
I don't smoke
I don't drink
I don't go clubbing
I don't do hangoutsThe only thing that makes my weekend interesting is football. Now everything has been suspended, even #PremierLeague
What else can I do to help myself this hard time?😭
— Master Lee (@dotunelias) March 13, 2020
So what will happen to Betting as they’ve Suspended leagues? #PremierLeague
— DANNY WALTER 👑 (@Danny_Walterr) March 13, 2020
Pls tell me, what's weekend without #PremierLeague …??? 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/M9pRDhjuc8
— Uthman (@_abiola23) March 13, 2020
So they are suspending all the football league…..what will happen to my Bet9ja ticket now? #PremierLeague pic.twitter.com/JmDd4dSxzN
— Edi.Shots ✨📸 (@EdimoyaPr) March 13, 2020
“Akwa United and Dakkada FC will be playing away. NNL resumption postponed…One would have gone to Ikot Ekpene to watch Vandrezzer FC” Akila Matawal, a fan in Uyo said while bemoaning the EPL games’ call off.
Meanwhile, England’s international friendly matches against Italy on 27 March and Denmark four days later have also been called off.
The EFL, which hopes to resume play a day earlier than the Premier League on 3 April, said clubs were also advised to suspend “non-essential activities” such as “player appearances, training ground visits and fan meetings”.
The League suspension comes on a day of widespread sporting postponements around the world.
UEFA has postponed next week’s Champions League and Europa League fixtures.England’s Test cricket series in Sri Lanka has been cancelled. Golf’s Players Championship in Florida was called off after one round.
Also, Formula 1 has called off the Vietnam Grand Prix on 5 April.
Formula E is suspended for two months, affecting races in Paris, Seoul and Jakarta.
Late Thursday, it was announced Arsenal manager, Arteta had tested positive to the virus, and early on Friday, Chelsea Winger, Hudson-Odoi revealed he had been affected, while Everton says a first-team player has shown symptoms.
Earlier this week, several clubs including Arsenal, Chelsea, Leicester City, Bournemouth, Manchester City, Juventus and Real Madrid revealed they have either all or some of their playing staff in self-isolation.
Premier League Chief Executive, Richard Masters said: “In this unprecedented situation, we are working closely with our clubs, government, the FA and EFL and can reassure everyone the health and welfare of players, staff and supporters are our priority.”
