The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has given a guideline to their member states to arrange the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2022 Qualifiers and AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers 2023 matches due to Covid-19 situation.
Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag through a video message on Thursday said the AFC sent a guideline to different federations called “Match operation protocol during Covid-19 pandemic” one week ago and we’ll have to arrange the World Cup 2022 Qualifiers matches and AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers 2023 or any international match obeying the rules and regulation given in the guideline. The participating teams must obey the rules and regulation before taking part in the match.
The guideline has been made taking into account the experience of conducting the game of different member associations of AFC and aiming the rules taken by the health ministry of different countries.
There are mainly three instructions given in the guideline to arrange the matches which included first to conduct a match without a spectator in the stadium, secondly less spectator stadium and thirdly instruction was given of what matters must be complied to arrange a match in the full-packed stadium, he added.
Shohag said in order to arrange the matches the stadium has been divided into four zones- zone 1, zone 2, zone 3 and zone 4. Instructions were given in the guideline for the teams, match officials, spectators, media, host broadcaster and TV crews of how they will enter the stadium and do their job by obeying the rules and regulations.
There are many instructions for the teams for their entrance in the stadium during the match day. Each team will have to enter the stadium at different times and teams will have to use different gates during the entrance and exit in the stadium. Stay the team in the dressing room as little time as possible, wear a mask while staying at the team bench, avoid handshake and keep enough hand sanitizer and many more, added the BFF general secretary.
The BFF and member states under the AFC will have to conduct the matches by obeying the rules and regulation given in the guideline, Shohag concluded.
