Covid-19 outbreak in Dalian causes concern as Chinese Super League finally prepares to start
- Dalian is one of two playing zones for the top-tier competition kicking off on Saturday
- Officials say they have taken the strictest measures against the pandemic to guarantee safety
The Chinese Super League will kick off on Saturday under heightened concern after 15 coronavirus cases were recorded in the past two days in Dalian, one of the two playing zones for the delayed competition.
Defending champions Guangzhou Evergrande are scheduled to take on Shanghai Shenhua in group A at Dalian Sports Centre Stadium on Saturday evening in the curtain-raiser.
In group B, Wuhan Zall will meet Qingdao Huanghai at Olympic Sports Centre Stadium in Suzhou on the same day.
There had been no new cases for many days in the northern China city located in Liaoning province, but then one new case emerged on Wednesday, followed by another 14 on Thursday. Of those 14 cases, 12 were asymptomatic.
A spokesman for the Dalian municipal government said they had followed the strict rules for the safety of players and officials. All matches will be played behind closed doors without any spectators.
“We will enhance our communication and cooperation with the CFA in accordance with the latest development of the pandemic and strengthen our work through scientific knowledge,” said the spokesman.
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And as requested by the CFA, each player, referee and match official was tested immediately upon their arrival at Dalian airport.
During the competition period, there will be weekly tests. So far, all test results have been negative.
All eight teams in group A have arrived in Dalian and held training sessions behind closed doors.
All competition venues, training grounds and hotels have been closed to the teams since last Friday under the designation of “blue area”. So far, all operations in the blue area are running well.
At a Wednesday evening meeting, CSL organisers decided that those staying in the designated area sealed off for the CSL would be required to wear face masks in public, with any violations resulting in harsh punishments.
The CSL has warned teams that any person who violates the virus prevention measures could be removed from the league.
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There will only be one match in Dalian on Saturday. On Sunday, Guangzhou R&F will meet Shenzhen FC at Jinzhou Stadium, while two more matches will be featured at Dalian Pro Soccer Academy Base on the same day, with Dalian Pro taking on Shandong Luneng and Henan Jianye meeting Jiangsu Suning.
The 2020 season was scheduled to begin in February and end in October, but was postponed because of the pandemic.
