Coronavirus: We are not ready for football – Inter Allies coach

Inter Allies head coach Tony Lokko has disclosed that his team is not ready for the resumption of football as the coronavirus pandemic lingers on.

Ghana has recorded 32,000 cases since the outbreak of the virus and as the government continues to ease restrictions on some sectors of the economy, football activities remained suspended since March this year.

The effects of the coronavirus have led to the Ghana FA cancelling the 2019/20 football season with a new date for restart scheduled for October.

Despite efforts from the Ghana FA to ensure football restart amid the pandemic, Inter Allies coach Tony Lokko has hinted that his players are not ready as safety measures or protocols to ensure football returns in the safest possible means have not been put in place.

“We are not ready for our football to come back,” Tony Lokko told BBC Africa.

“I have been communicating with my players and they are also scared. Look at the situation, we are all scared of the virus.

“The health materials we are supposed to put in place are not ready and that is the fear of everyone at the moment.”

Meanwhile, the Ghana FA despite announcing to start the Ghana Premier League in October is yet to disclose the plans to ensure all the COVID-19 protocols are adhered to.

The FA is still engaging the government on ways to ensure football restarts amid the pandemic.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo last week gave the green light for the country junior national teams to resume camping ahead of their international assignments.

All sporting activities were suspended by the Ghanaian government due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

However, with the gradual ease of lockdown in the country, the Black Starlets (Male U-17), Black Princesses (Female U-20) and Black Maidens (Female U-17) will resume camp.

Whilst giving updates on measures taken against the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the President said the U-17, U-20 female teams can resume camping ahead of their respective international assignments in September 2020.

“The playing, technical and management teams must observe strictly all the protocols issued by Government, CAF and FIFA against COVID-19 whilst training,” he said.

Source: Ghanaian Times