Turkish Football Federation insists on resuming leagues despite new coronavirus cases in clubs

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Football federation head under fire for not suspending league after Fatih Terim tests positive for coronavirus

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) insists on resuming leagues despite the emergence of new coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in clubs.

In a statement released on its website on May 13, the TFF said that the top-tier Süper Lig is set to resume on June 12 as declared earlier, adding that the decision was adopted during a board meeting held with the federation's health committee.

The TFF First League will begin on June 19, the second and third leagues, as well as the amateur division competitions will resume on July 18.

The country cancelled its basketball and volleyball leagues for the 2019-2020 season on May 11, with no champions declared.

Turkey became one of the last countries to suspend its football leagues amid the pandemic, with the TFF suspending leagues on March 19.

Since then, a number of clubs, including Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray and Beşiktaş, reported coronavirus cases among its footballers and staff.

Most recently, second-tier league club Büyükşehir Belediye Erzurumspor said on May 13 that 11 people, including four players, from the club tested positive for the virus.

Helal olsun @TFF_Org olacagi buydu zaten ve suanda 11 kisi positif cikti ve bir kac gün icinde haber daha gelir 20 kisi net! pic.twitter.com/Vt5fwNJaV2

— Ömer Sismanoglu 7 (@sismanoglu22) May 13, 2020

Those diagnosed include a technical staff member, a senior team personnel member and five club employees.

Twelve others were also rushed to the hospital for a second test.

Football fans once again took to Twitter to urge TFF head Nihat Özdemir to resign, while questioning the motivation behind resuming the leagues in such a haste.

Fenerbahçe footballer, Başakşehir chair test positive for coronavirus