Fate of Euro 2020 hangs on UEFA crisis meeting
PARIS: A decision over whether to postpone football’s Euro 2020 by up to a year, with all the sporting and financial consequences that would entail, is set to be made when UEFA holds a crisis meeting on Tuesday as Europe battles the coronavirus pandemic.
European football’s governing body will hold a videoconference with representatives from all 55 member associations as well as clubs and players bodies. UEFA will then hold a meeting at 1300 GMT (6.30 pm IST).
The future of the European Championship, due to take place for the first time in 12 different cities spread across the continent from June 12 to July 12, is up in the air along with those of the Champions League and Europa League. The “dark scenarios” that UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin warned against envisaging when he spoke at the organisation’s congress in Amsterdam just two weeks ago now have to be considered. All of Europe’s leading domestic leagues ground to a halt last week, while UEFA suspended all Champions League and Europa League games due to be played this week. Both tournaments are still in the last-16 stage.
Europe has become the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic, with Italy and Spain on lockdown, France gradually following suit, and other countries closing borders to halt the spread.
More than 1,800 people have died in Italy, which is supposed to host the opening game of Euro 2020 in Rome.
The head of the Italian football federation, Gabriele Gravina, has already proposed that the Euro be postponed, with Italy coach Roberto Mancini calling for it to pushed back 12 months. “We would have won the European Championship this summer, we can also win it in 2021,” Mancini told television station Rai Sport.
It is a position that many around the continent are coming round to amid much uncertainty as to when club football can resume. “UEFA has no choice. They have to postpone the Euro and the Champions League,” one senior figure in the world game said, although finding agreement across the board may not be easy.
“There are people who want to play, and others who don’t,” French football federation president Noel Le Graet told broadcaster TF1 on Sunday.
German broadcaster ZDF reported that two possible options are on the table for the European Championship.
One is to push it back to 2021, although that is not as simple as it might appear, as it would need FIFA president Gianni Infantino to agree to halting the inaugural edition of his highly lucrative Club World Cup, due to take place in June and July next year.
BANERJEE’S HEALTH DETERIORATES
KOLKATA: Former India football captain and coach PK Banerjee’s health worsened on Monday. “Today inspite of best efforts his clinical condition has deteriorated and he is failing to respond adequately to treatment, “according to a release from the hospital. Banerjee, 83, is suffering from heart and respiratory problems along with Parkinson’s Disease and dementia.