After a few weeks, the novel coronavirus disease that appeared in late 2019 started to endanger the health and lives of millions of people. It was highly contagious with the risk of causing serious respiratory disease, and immediately impacted governments and public health systems. These have responded by declaring a national and international public health emergency, and by taking urgent steps to avoid the contagion and restrict the outbreak. Millions of lives have changed dramatically, and a global, multi-level, and challenging cycle of stress-coping-adjustment is underway.
Coronavirus has been waging worldwide turmoil and, sadly, football could not save itself from the consequences of the outbreak. The virus does not discriminate and, despite being extremely fit athletes, footballers are just as likely as anyone else to get infected by the coronavirus.
Coronavirus can affect the international football schedule “two to three years,” says one of the members of UEFA’s executive committee. Lars-Christer Olsson, president of the European Leagues, says determining the impact of the pandemic, particularly on the 2022 Qatar World Cup, would be a case of “wait and see.”
Olsson said he can “see a scenario where the current season is not over than just kicking off the new season.” Following the global suspension of football and the delay of Euro 2020 and Euro 2021, during the Soccerex webinar, he was asked how long he thought the international calendar would have an impact.
“Maybe two or three years, I suppose,” he told the ESPN.
He had previously told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast that there was “no agreement” between nations to end the domestic season, as each nation faces different circumstances of viruses and policy decisions.
