Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Sports
  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Motorsports
  • Tennis

Turkish football to restart on June 12 despite new virus cases in several clubs

by Daily Sabah with Wires

ISTANBUL May 14, 2020 - 2:17 pm GMT+3
Health personnel talk at the Metropolitan Municipality Erzurumspor facilities as 11 people tested positive for the coronavirus, Turkey, May 13, 2020. (AA Photo)
Health personnel talk at the Metropolitan Municipality Erzurumspor facilities as 11 people tested positive for the coronavirus, Turkey, May 13, 2020. (AA Photo)
by Daily Sabah with Wires May 14, 2020 2:17 pm
RECOMMENDED
Sevilla coach Jose Luis Mendilibar (L) and Roma coach Jose Mourinho will face each other in the final. (Illustration by Büşra Öztürk)

Mourinho rallies Roma against Europa League kings Sevilla in final

uefa-europa-league

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has confirmed its decision to resume the Turkish Süper Lig, despite concerns over further spreading the novel coronavirus as several clubs reported new infections.

In a statement Wednesday, TFF said the Turkish Süper Lig will resume on June 12 while second-tier TFF 1. Lig will start a week later. All the other leagues, including TFF 2., 3. Lig and regional amateur leagues, are set to resume on July 18.

However, a day after TFF decided to restart the Süper Lig, Istanbul heavyweight Beşiktaş released a statement with some bad news.

“All our footballers, technical team and employees have been tested for COVID-19. Eight of them have tested positive,” the club said in the statement.

Later in the day, the Black Eagles released yet another saddening statement, informing the public that their president, Ahmet Nur Çebi also tested positive.

Beşiktaş is not the first Istanbul team to be hit by the coronavirus. Fenerbahçe reported last week that two of its club employees have tested positive and placed themselves in self-isolation.

But Galatasaray was arguably the club hardest hit by COVID-19. The club's vice-presidents and coach tested positive and recovered.

Kasımpaşa Sports Club, another Istanbul team hailing from the namesake district in downtown, also reported two cases.

A prominent TFF 1. Lig team, Metropolitan Municipality Erzurumspor, reported an outbreak of its own.

The club confirmed that four of its first-team footballers and seven other employees have tested positive for the virus. “Yesterday night was so tragic,” club President Hüseyin Üneş told the media.

“We have 12 suspected cases too,” he said, adding that all facilities of the club have been shut down and patients placed in self-isolation.

“Before a road map was drawn out, we should have been consulted,” he said.

Many European countries known for high-tier football, including the U.K., Spain, Italy, France and the Netherlands, still have their respective leagues on hold. Germany has decided to restart the Bundesliga, deemed too early by some and drawing ire from fans, who do not want the matches played without spectators.

A number of European football fan groups have called for the coronavirus-related suspension of matches to continue until spectators are allowed back in the stadiums.

The statement from "United Supporters of Europe," published Wednesday and featuring more than 100 fan groups from countries including Germany, Italy, France and Spain, opposed the restart, saying that financial interests are being put above health.

"We strongly ask (European governing body) UEFA and the national associations to keep the stop and stop the football competitions until crowding the stadiums is once again a habit free of risks for public health," the statement said.

Germany's Bundesliga is restarting on the weekend with games behind closed doors, and there are similar plans in leagues including in England, Italy and Spain.

Meanwhile, Italy’s cash-strapped Serie A clubs are facing a few more hurdles on the way to full competition.

"June 13, let's play," Il Corriere dello Sport headlined on Thursday, specifying, as all the other newspapers did, that "the last word is on the government."

More than two months since the last top-flight game was played on March 9, the 20 clubs on Wednesday picked the mid-June date to begin playing the 12 remaining rounds in empty stadiums.

The government and the Italian Football Federation have reached an agreement to resume team training next Monday.

Individual workouts at camps have been allowed since May 4, with medical exams and frequent tests programmed to monitor possible infection of footballers and staff.

The safety protocol adopted by the federation will now see teams train together in isolation at their camp for at least two weeks, with further planning depending on the government's cautious approach as it monitors the infection, which killed 195 people on Wednesday alone.

Early tests, meanwhile, found four positive cases at Sampdoria and three at Fiorentina. All were said to be asymptomatic and quarantined, bringing the total of infected Serie A players to 23.

After Monday, however, a positive case will extend the isolation period of the entire squad for two more weeks from the day the infection is found.

This seems to imply that a team won't be allowed to play games in case of a positive test result shortly before or once the action has resumed.

The measure has also irked team medics, whom the protocol considers legally responsible for damages suffered from players during the retreat.

"We have already alerted our lawyers to make their observations on the protocol," Enrico Castellacci, who chairs the team doctors association, said this week.

"Once away games begin, the risk of infection is higher. With one case, the league is blocked. This raises perplexities on the real will to restart. (The government) should let us know if they really want it."

Clubs' balances, meanwhile, have been hit by the interruption. Players have accepted pay cuts, but more damage could come from negotiations with television broadcasters.

Sky and DAZN, who reportedly are yet to pay the last installment of 233 million euros ($251.5 million) for the current season, are said to be seeking a discount, given the months without games.

Despite financial troubles, Brescia, Torino and Sampdoria have been lukewarm about recommencing the season, while some groups of fans have flatly opposed it.

Brescia, Atalanta and Torino supporters have displayed banners near stadiums opposing the start date.

Banners against the restart were displayed last week from Roma fans, one reading, "Some die and suffer while others make money: stop the league."

RECOMMENDED
Sevilla coach Jose Luis Mendilibar (L) and Roma coach Jose Mourinho will face each other in the final. (Illustration by Büşra Öztürk)

Mourinho rallies Roma against Europa League kings Sevilla in final

uefa-europa-league
  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: May 15, 2020 11:34 am
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    turkey football covid-19 pandemic european football leagues italy spain france netherlands united kingdom
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    Mayan pyramid and ruins in the famous Tikal National Park, Guatemala. (Getty Images Photo)

    Scientists discover 417 Mayan cities in Guatemala's forested area

    mayan-city
    Voters cast ballots at a polling station set up by the Rotterdam Consulate-General in the Hague, May 20, 2023. (AA Photo)

    Far-right Wilders tells Turks to 'pack bags' for voting for Erdoğan

    geert-wilders

    Erdoğan, el-Sissi agree to reappoint Turkish, Egyptian envoys

    TÜRKIYE-EGYPT-RELATIONS

    Erdoğan meets with former economy chief Mehmet Şimşek: Sources

    Turkish-economy
    No Image
    In photos: The forgotten Nubian pyramids of Sudan
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021