Coronavirus: English FA Extends Premier League Shutdown Till April 30th

The English FA has extended the resumption of the EPL to at least the end of April, from the former date of April 4th, the decision was reached after the Premier League and the English Football League held Crisis meetings.

The statement released reads; “We’ve collectively agreed that the professional game in England will be further postponed until no earlier than Thursday 30 April,” this was reached by the English Football Association, Premier League, EFL, and by the Players and Managers’ bodies.
UEFA earlier in the week announced it’s decision to postpone the Euro 2020 by 12 months to give room for games across the top leagues to be completed if the stringent travel bans and mass gatherings are lifted by then ravaging effect of the Coronavirus have been curbed and brought to stop.

There are hopes that the epl gets to be completed once normalcy is restored, rather than accepting the current standings or declaring the campaign null and void.
“We’re united in our commitment to finding ways of resuming the 2019-20 football season and ensuring all domestic and European club league and cup matches are played as soon as it is safe and possible to do so,” added the statement.

However, the English authorities are putting no limit of when the EPL 2019/20 season must be finished by.

“The FA’s Rules and Regulations state that ‘the season shall terminate not later than the 1 June’ and ‘each competition shall, within the limit laid down by The FA, determine the length of its own playing season’.
“However, The FA’s Board has agreed for this limit to be extended indefinitely for the 2019/20 season in relation to Professional Football.”
– Off-season break scrapped? -One option could see the end of the 2019/20 and beginning of the 2020/21 come together with no time for an off-season break.
“Players may need to get their summer break in now before we finish what was the 19/20 season and roll it right into the 20/21 season without a break,” Brighton striker Glenn Murray told AFP.

“Everyone loves sport, everyone loves watching football but I really think the right decision was made in bringing it to a halt.
“At this moment in time it’s pretty irrelevant, people’s health is first and foremost. Once we get over this crisis we can look at sport and getting the Premier League and Football Leagues back in action.” English Premier LeaguePhoto Credit: Getty

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