Chinese Super League: ‘no empty stadiums, no shortened season, no extension to 2021,’ say China FA
- ‘Three Nos’ policy will guide any restart with decision to be made in conjunction with health authorities in May
- CSL season was suspended before February start date as country battled coronavirus outbreak
There will be “no empty stadiums, no extending the league into 2021 and no reduced season” in the CFA policy being referred to as the “Three Nos”.
The Sports Weekly newspaper reported that the CFA will make the final decision next week after the May Day holiday, in conjunction with relevant health authorities.
Several problems have been predicted for a full fixture schedule. The climate difference between the north and south means that summer in the south will not be ideal for games – a time when the league is usually on its annual midseason break – while the north becomes too cold from November.
On top of this, assuming that international football returns as scheduled later this year, there will also be national team training camps. Add into the mix the AFC Asian Champions League, which will involve four Chinese Super League teams, and there is a potential headache for the fixture compilers.
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Clubs have their own problems, specifically with foreign players and coaches. Many are still overseas and banned from entering China as part of measures to control the pandemic.
The issuing of special visas to allow them to return has been raised in media reports but not yet confirmed.
Chinese football was cancelled ahead of the season’s proposed start in February. While Shanghai SIPG played an AFC Champions League qualifier against Thai side Buriram United on January 28, the season-opening Chinese Super Cup in February was called off as China battled the coronavirus outbreak, the first cases of which were seen in the city of Wuhan.
Rumours that the CSL would return have grown since the reduction of new cases in China and easing of measures in cities across the country, but there has been no official word until now. There is still no start date as yet.
Western sports leagues had been looking to China for the answer for when sport could return, with proposals such as playing behind closed doors or quarantining teams and officials in a small number of host cities mentioned as ways to finish the CSL and the stalled Chinese Basketball Association.
However, the CFA has waited it out and its decision is yet to be made, with restart dates in June and July mentioned as possibilities.
The news came the same day as France confirmed there would be no sport in the country until September and Japan’s J. League announced it has planned for possible restart dates ranging from June to October.
Meanwhile, other leagues including South Korea’s K-League and the German Bundesliga have announced they intend to resume behind closed doors. The K-League will start from May 8 while German football hopes to get approval to return in mid-May.
