Texarkana Gazette

UEFA gives us hope for sports amid virus outbreak

- By Zachary Payne

All hope might not be lost in the sporting world, as UEFA has announced a commitment to complete all domestic and European competitio­ns by the end of June.

The Champions League, like many other sports around the globe, recently had to ban all competitio­ns due to COVID-19.

With the Champions League in the midst of the round of 16, it found itself in the middle of the worst outbreak, by any virus, seen in years. UEFA’s president, Aleksander Ceferin, and it’s governing body have plans to continue competitio­ns and league matches in the near future as long as things start to settle down in Europe.

In a statement, UEFA said it had convened and “unanimousl­y agreed” on a commitment “to complete all domestic and European club competitio­ns by the end of the current sporting season (June 30, 2020), should the situation improve and resuming playing be appropriat­e and prudent enough”.

The plan, so far, is to play domestic league matches during the week, and hold the Champions League matches on the weekend. Ceferin also noted that the health and safety of both players and fans remains their top priority looking forward.

It will certainly be interestin­g to see how the next few weeks may affect their plans. UEFA did not divulge its travel plans on how to move teams across Europe as many countries, such as Italy and Spain have been seriously devastated by the coronaviru­s.

Euro 2020 was postponed on Tuesday until 2021 in hopes that UEFA will be able to complete the Champions League race.

 ?? Matthias Schrader/Associated Press ?? ■ The Euro soccer championsh­ips trophy is seen on Oct. 27, 2016, in front of the UEFA logo in Munich, Germany. UEFA has proposed postponing the 2020 European Championsh­ip for one year because of the coronaviru­s outbreak, but the Norwegian soccer associatio­n says the new tournament dates will be June 11 to July 11.
Matthias Schrader/Associated Press ■ The Euro soccer championsh­ips trophy is seen on Oct. 27, 2016, in front of the UEFA logo in Munich, Germany. UEFA has proposed postponing the 2020 European Championsh­ip for one year because of the coronaviru­s outbreak, but the Norwegian soccer associatio­n says the new tournament dates will be June 11 to July 11.

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