All contact sports in Ghana, including football, were suspended since March after the incidences of COVID-19 showed a significant rise in the West African nation. However, we have good news for devoted sports fans. As the state’s head, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced ban to be lifted, and football lovers across the nation went up in jubilation.
The 6-month long hiatus has broken the back of several cash-strapped football clubs. They were desperately seeking relief from the government. Similar situations were reported everywhere, including the cancellation of the most anticipated sports events.
The lifting of the ban has paved the way for GPL’s return (Ghana Premier League), starting from the 30th of October. However, amid all the celebrations, we must not forget that pandemic is still raging across the world. Thus, the government of Ghana has decided to resume sporting activities with certain restrictions.
New rules to follow
No responsible government can ignore coronavirus dangers, especially when new case reports are still high worldwide. Football activities received a green signal; however, the organizers and clubs have to adhere to restrictions laid down by the government.
Training sessions will occur without fans, and even when the stadiums open up for the matches, they’ll be filled up to 25% of their total capacity. As per government sources, this is all part of the slow but steady return to normal routines. The government is aware that contact sports like football have great national significance since teams participate in international sporting events as well.
Akufo-Addo, while addressing the nation on national television, stated that some of the national teams were permitted to go ahead with their training since they have multiple international events in the coming months. However, all the players, coaches, support staff, and managers will have to undergo regular tests. Frequent testing will ensure that none of the individuals in the sporting camp are infected.
Akufo-Addo also mentioned that his government’s decision to resume sporting activities had been taken after extensive consultations with the Ghana Football Association officials. Thus, it was decided that the Division One Football League, as well as the Ghana Premier League, would resume from 30th of October. However, management and technical staff, along with the players, will have to undergo exhaustive testing.
It’s been a ritual for the fans to attend training sessions for several years, but this season will mark a deviation from the trend. No spectator is allowed during the training sessions, and everyone has to follow social distancing rules while attending live matches during the league matches.
Sporting competitions to be scrutinized regularly
The government also decided that every sporting activity will undergo thorough scrutiny even during the tournaments so that preemptive actions can be taken to prevent coronavirus cases from spreading. All the cases will be investigated after thorough consultations between sports associations and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
Football competitions in Ghana, including the FA Cup, women’s FA Cup, Premier League competitions, 2nd tier, and 3rd tier championships, were halted due to the pandemic. The first case of COVID-19 in Ghana was detected in March, and since then, all contact sports, including the ongoing 2019-20 Premier League, were halted abruptly. However, after 3 months with no improvements, Ghana Football Association (GFA) Executive Council decided to cancel the 2019-20 football seasons permanently in June. There was a total of 17,1741 COVID-19 cases on June 30, which included 113 deaths.
However, Ghana Health Service announced on September 20 that the number of active cases has come down to 554, which is a huge improvement. Restrictions were gradually lifted since July, and both the national men’s and women’s teams got special permission to go ahead with their training camps. Contact sports were banned at that time, but an exception was made for these teams since they had international matches scheduled later in the year.
Don’t miss out on the action
So, what if you cannot get a seat for one of the Ghana Premier League matches? You always have the option of watching those matches live on your smartphone or laptop. Yes, even if the sporting channels are banned in your province, you can still watch the games live and safely on a device of your choice by installing a fast Atlas VPN for streaming. It provides access to even the restricted sites in the most secure manner. So, even if your country is still attempting to combat COVID-19, you can enjoy football matches from other regions. Knowing that Ghana is the home country of many incredible footballers, you are in for a treat.