Football action returns on October 30 as Ghana president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo lifted the ban on contact sports including football. The president gave the green light for the comeback for the sport during his 17th Covid 19 State of the Nation Address on Sunday night
Spectators will not be permitted to appear at training sessions, stadiums will be opened to fans when the top-flight begins but only up to 25 percent of a stadium’s capacity, the president announced.
“Towards the progressive easing of restrictions, government has taken the decision to allow the resumption of training in all contact sports, taking into consideration the imminent participation of our national teams in international competitions,” Prez Akufo-Addo stated in the TV address.
“Indeed, some national teams have already been given the dispensation to begin training ahead of their international engagements. All sports people who are camped are to be tested regularly”.
“Fellow Ghanaians, with respect to football, after due consultations with the Ghana Football Association, it has been decided that the Ghana Premier League and the Division One Football League will restart on Friday 30th October with a full regime of testing of players, technical and management staff.
“No spectators will be allowed at the training centres and when actual competition resumes, sitting at all stadia will be limited to 25% capacity to ensure social distancing. Wearing of masks by spectators at stadia will be mandatory.
“The restart of all other sporting competitions will be determined on case-by-case basis, pending consultations between the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the respective sport associations.”
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) Executive Council took a decision in June to cancel the 2019-20 football season permanently when a total of six coronavirus cases had been recorded.
All contact sports, including football, have been halted since Ghana recorded its first cases of coronavirus in March.