FATE OF EURO 2020 TO BE DETERMINED AS UEFA SET TO HOLD CRISIS MEETING
Paris, March 16: 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 ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
European football’s governing body will hold a videoconference with representatives from all 55 member associations as well as from clubs and players bodies. UEFA will then hold an executive committee meeting at 1400 (1300 GMT) at their Swiss headquarters.
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 of the outbreak.
More than 1,800 people have died in Italy, which is supposed to host the opening game of Euro 2020 in Rome.
● European football’s governing body will hold a video conference with representatives from all 55 member associations as well as from clubs and players bodies.