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China coronavirus: Hong Kong Football Association calls off matches and training

South China Morning Post
發布於 2020年01月28日13:01 • Jonathan White
  • Meeting on February 2 will decide whether to continue Premier League behind closed doors or postpone matches
  • Hong Kong are scheduled to host Iraq in Fifa World Cup qualifier at Mong Kok in March
Happy Valley and Kitchee players enter the Mong Kok Stadium pitch ahead of the 2019-20 Hong Kong Premier League season opener. Photo: Facebook/Happy Valley

The Hong Kong Football Association is the latest sporting body to cease competition in the wake of the coronavirus that has spread from Wuhan.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the HKFA announced that they would suspend all competition and training with immediate effect.

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The Jockey Club HKFA Football Training Centre at Tseung Kwan O will remain open but only to provide limited services for Hong Kong Premier League team training.

This came on the back of an earlier announcement from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department that they would be closing all public sports facilities from tomorrow.

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"To tie in with the response level under the 'Preparedness and Response Plan for Novel Infectious Disease of Public Health Significance' being raised to Emergency Response Level and temporary suspension of the venues of Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), HKFA announced that all competitions, training sessions and activities would be postponed until the reopening of the LCSD facilities," the HKFA said.

There will be a Hong Kong Premier League meeting on February 2 to discuss whether the league will continue behind closed doors at the Football Training Centre or whether fixtures will be delayed.

Hong Kong Lunar New Year Cup cancelled over coronavirus fears

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The next HKPL fixtures are scheduled for February 14 but the Senior Shield final between Eastern and Lee Man is set for February 9. The Sapling Cup was set to resume on February 1.

This season has already suffered several interruptions because of ongoing anti-government protests, while the Lunar New Year Cup scheduled for last weekend was cancelled because of the virus' outbreak.

Hong Kong are scheduled to host Iraq in a Qatar 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifier at Mong Kok Stadium on March 31.

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