AfricaPress-Tanzania:MAINLAND Premier League will resume after 30 days, but the remaining matches will be played behind closed doors.
This decision was reached by the Management Committee of the Tanzania Premier League Board (TPLB) that convened an emergency meeting in Dar es Salaam yesterday.
The TPLB drew plans which would see all remaining league matches are completed by June.
The development comes after the suspension of all sports-related activities for 30 days as announced last Tuesday by the government, as a precaution step to halt the further spread of the coronavirus, which has reached at an alarming stage across the globe.
In his address to the nation yesterday, Premier Kassim Majaliwa said the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports will to the immediate effect communicate to all sports bodies that they should halt sporting activities at least for one month as the government continues to monitor the situation.
Immediately after the announcement by the Prime Minister Majaliwa, the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) issued a statement to suspend the Mainland Premier League and other lower leagues.
Runaway top flight leaders Simba, who need to win five matches to retain the title for the third straight season, will have to wait a little bit longer for them to be crowned champions for 21st times.
The need to take all precautionary measures necessary against the rapidly-spreading coronavirus has forced sports bodies across the world to temporarily call off leagues and other competitions
After the meeting, TPLB Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Almas Kasongo said that the board has come up with four resolutions, of which all leagues will resume after 30 days but matches will be played behind closed doors.
“We have agreed that top flight, First Division League (FDL), Second Division League (SDL) and Regional Champions League (RCL) will resume after 30 days, only that all the games will be played in an empty stadium,” Kasongo said.
He also said that all players will be screened before the kickoff of any game to determine their health status in regard to coronavirus. The board has also resolved that all leagues should be concluded by June this year.
The need to take all precautionary measures necessary against the rapidly-spreading coronavirus has forced sports bodies across the world to temporarily call off leagues and other competitions.
Last week, the Confederation of African Football Association called off all African Cup of Nations qualifiers.
And, CAF in consultation with the relevant Cameroonian authorities (Local Organising Committee) has decided by mutual agreement, to postpone the African Nations Championship (CHAN) finals initially planned for April 4 to 25th, 2020 to a later date.
National team, Taifa Stars camp to prepare for the 2020 CHAN finals and AFCON qualifiers has been dissolved.
World football’s governing body last week advised its member bodies to suspend all football events until at least April with the hope that a better way to curb the pandemic will be suggested by then.
FIFA also made an alteration to their rule governing players and the international call ups, with clubs and players now free to reject national team call ups.
