Portugal’s top-flight football league, the Primeira Liga, is all set to return on 4 June. The same has been confirmed in an official statement released by the league. The league has been suspended since 12 March owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Over the past few days, various entities have carried out successive alignment meetings so that the recovery can take place safely and with all the protection measures that mitigate the risks of returning to the activity,” said the league in a statement on Tuesday.

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“It is anticipated that this joint work by DGS (Directorate-General of Health of Portugal), FPF (Portuguese Football Federation) and Liga Portugal will serve as a model for the resumption of other economic activities, with the aim of this professional competition providing an example of the good practices that this pandemic imposes on us,” the statement added.

“In order to ensure that the stadiums are strictly inspected and medical tests are carried out on all professionals involved in the games and their organisation, the date of June 4, 2020 is set for the first game of the 25th round of the Liga NOS,” it further said.

Earlier, Portugal Prime Minister Antonio Costa had given permission for the league to resume but in front of empty stadiums from 30 May. Each club in the league has 10 fixtures left to be played with Porto a point ahead of Benfica at the top of the table as of now.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the entire world to a standstill and the sporting arena is no exception. Almost all sporting activities have either been postponed or cancelled amid the global health emergency.

Even the high profile Tokyo Olympics which was scheduled to be held this year has now been postponed to 2021.

The virus has so far infected more than 42,00,000 people worldwide while claiming over 2,90,000 lives.

There is still no sure short treatment of the virus and social distancing, self-isolation and maintenance of hand hygiene remain the only potent weapons of preventing oneself from contracting the infection.

(With inputs from IANS)