The Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 has clarified that the lifting of suspension on sporting activities in the country is still limited to only non contact sports, insisting that football is not permitted to return yet.
The National Coordinator of the PTF, Dr Sani Aliyu made the clarification on Thursday while fielding questions at the daily briefing in Abuja.
“I just want to make it clear that football cannot return for now. It is not one of the non contact sports that we allowed to return.
“To football fans, sorry it is not yet time. The truth is that the suspension cannot be lifted yet,” stressed Dr Aliyu
This new twist has thrown the football sector into fresh lockdown as it is likely to slow down all initial preparations by teams in the domestic league for the new season.
Penultimate Thursday, the PTF had said in Abuja that football activities as well as other outdoor events were free to return without fans in the stadium but under the strict supervision of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development (FMYSD) and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).