FIFA’s medical chief wants Premier League season cancelled

FIFA’s medical chief, Michel D’Hooghe, is calling for the Premier League season to be cancelled.

D’Hooghe compared the deadly coronavirus pandemic to World War Two and insists football should not resume until September — with the start of next season.

The Belgian’s demands were described as “sensible” by Brighton striker Glenn Murray. And they are a huge blow for hopes of a summer restart.

D’Hooghe warned: “The world is not ready for competitive football.

“If there is one moment where absolute priority should be given to health and medicine, it is this.

“That is why I ask everybody to be very careful before starting competitions again.

“I will be happy if we can have nothing before the start of next season.

“If they could start 2020-21 in September they could eventually avoid a second attack from the virus.”

D’Hooghe’s stark warning came as France became the first of Europe’s big five leagues to officially end their season.

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe confirmed there would be no return of professional sport until September.

He told Sky Sports: “It is a terrible responsibility at the moment — the most dramatic situation we have lived in since the Second World War.

“You cannot play in the Premier League when players have to remain two metres apart.

“Have you tried playing football in a mask? This does not avoid social distancing. Players are together on the field, in the dressing room.

“Of course, you could say, ‘Let’s play behind closed doors’.

“But even then, you will see groups of fans coming secretly together in rooms just to support their team anyway.

“Testing is such an important point — but you have to repeat them.

“If one of the players becomes positive, you have to put the whole group into quarantine.

“Is that a solution for a normal competition? Football has to be patient. It has to listen to the authorities and respect the basic health rules.”

More than 24,000 people have died in the UK from coronavirus.

And Brighton star Murray said: “We need to remember that when we talk about football.

“It’s really important to my life and other people’s lives. But more important is our country’s health.

“We must be sensible in our decision to restart the Premier League. Football reopens a lot of other avenues — stewards, security, bus drivers, physios, doctors, ambulances.

“It’s going to be a hell of a lot of people which could put people at risk.

“I cannot get my head around how you social distance at a corner.”

Prem chiefs are still desperate to complete the remaining 92 matches of this season — but clubs, who will discuss Project Restart on Friday, want guarantees over their players’ safety.

Arsenal, West Ham, Brighton opened their training grounds for players to do individual work on Monday, while Tottenham stars returned yesterday.

There is a fear from some Premier League boards that the Government is pushing them into rushing back too early, with a June 8 return date being discussed.

The Prem have warned clubs they may not be able to use their own grounds to finish the campaign — but most do not want to play at neutral venues.

And cancelling one of Europe’s Big Five leagues may make it harder to get a green light to restart.

Ligue 1 chiefs are reluctant to declare the season null and void.

They are set to decide issues such as relegation either on points per game or the standings after the 27th or 19th fixture rounds.

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That would not change the current top three, with Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille and Rennes in the Champions League.

Though PSG are now willing to play their ‘home’ matches abroad if it means finishing this season’s Euro competition.