Amid a rise in coronavirus cases, three Brazilian state government of Ceara, Parana, and Santa Catarina have reportedly suspended their local professional football tournaments.
“If there is no compliance with the recommendation, measures will be taken in all states,” said Valberto Lira, the head of the public ministry’s football safety unit.
“We are experiencing a situation that worries everyone and the movement of teams from one state to another will bring more possibilities of contagion”, he added.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) however, did not made a comment on the issue.
On the other hand, Santos, one of Brazil’s biggest clubs, has called for all football tournaments in the country to be suspended immediately.
“With pain in my heart, the situation is scaring us a lot, we are losing sensitivity. We are talking about lives that have no sense of being lost. Any measure to save a life is worth it,” Santos president Andres Rueda told the Folha de S.Paulo newspaper.
“The [health] protocols are coherent, but even so, it [the virus] is out of control. Football has to play its part. As much as it hurts, we need to stop,” he added.
Significantly, Brazil has been one of the hardest hit countries and regions by COVID-19 as it has witnessed more than 10 million confirmed cases and over 261,000 deaths.