Postponing league games not on agenda for now over coronavirus: Minister

ISTANBUL

Turkey’s Youth and Sports Minister Mehmet Muharrem Kasapoğlu has said postponing sports league games is not on the country’s agenda for now, after the first case of the coronavirus was confirmed in Turkey on March 11.

Turkish officials have announced that a series of measures would be taken to combat the novel coronavirus.

Kasapoğlu said that youth-related activities and some organizations in March and April were postponed.

“More than 80 competitions have been postponed. We will share a list later,” he said.

Kasapoğlu underlined that the leagues will not be postponed.

“There is no such thing as postponing leagues or playing matches without spectators,” Kasapoğlu noted.

“Disinfection works are carried out for young people and citizens who use our [sport] facilities. Our youth camps are cleaned intensely,” he added.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced Turkey’s first case of the novel coronavirus in the early hours of March 11, a man who he said was is in “good condition.” Turkish authorities have stressed that all precautionary measures were being taken.

The coronavirus, officially known also as COVID-19, was first detected last year in December in Wuhan, China.

The global death toll from the coronavirus is now over 4,260, with more than 118,100 confirmed cases, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The virus has since spread to six continents and more than 100 countries.