GENEVA/ZURICH: FIFA president Gianni Infantino has met the director-general of the World Health Organization, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, to discuss how football can help respond to the coronavirus pandemic and what measures should sports governing bodies and administrators take in specific situations.

A jpint statement said:

Sports governing bodies and decision makers should always keep in mind that health comes first.

All sports bodies must be ready to follow national guidance, based on thorough risk assessments, to stage safe events or take other required actions that protect the health of fans, players, coaches and the broader communities.”

WHO and FIFA, working in conjunction with other leading figures in world football, will launch a joint awareness raising campaign and engage in various initiatives to ensure all people receive needed advice to protect and promote their health and that of their communities.

In 2019, WHO and FIFA, football’s world governing body, agreed a four-year collaboration to promote healthy lifestyles through football globally.