With FIFA issuing medical recommendations on football's return, PFF sends its proposal to GAB

FIFA, the governing body of football, has issued a circular on medical recommendations as they are putting the game back in action in the middle of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

In an media release by the Philippine Football Federation, the document was in made with consultation with the experts from World Health Organization and the stakeholders in which it detailed the medical advice and risk assessment that will be served as a guide for the return of the sport.

It has made the health and welfare of both the amateur and the professional game its utmost priority, as the implementation will be in line with both the international guidelines and its respective national implementations with regards to public health and mass gatherings.

The game has slowly made its way back into action since April, with leagues in Taiwan, Belarus, Nicaragua and South Korea have either opened their season or continued to play their fixtures, as the German Bundesliga were the first of the major leagues that resumed play after being halted for two months since March.

Conversely, England's Premier League and the Spanish La Liga have already set their returns by June.

With that in mind, the federation "hopes for the gradual return of football activity once the quarantine measures have eased" as they  submitted their guidelines to the Games and Amusements Board for the endorsement, in which the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Disease has the final word on its approval.

The Philippines has apparently ended the world's longest lockdown as the enhanced community quarantine that was in place for 77 days has been downgraded to general category today.

"PFF undertakes to work closely with the various government agencies for the gradual return of football by starting with resumption of the professional league under strict health and safety protocols as maybe approved by the concerned national government agencies," said in the statement.

Photo: Philippines Football League/Jan Vincent Dayrit (File)