Brazilian footballers say health must come first

RIO DE JANEIRO - Footballers from Brazil's biggest clubs have urged authorities to put player health ahead of economic interests in their discussions about when to resume major competitions.

Brazilian football has been suspended since mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic and it is not clear when it will resume.

In a statement published by the country's professional footballers' national union FENAPAF, authorities were asked to improve dialogue with players so that their interests are not overridden by those of clubs.

"Brazilians love football and want it back, and we love it and want it back too," the statement read. "We all want to go back to work, but we have to think about our health."

FENAPAF also published a video in which players from Brazil's 10 biggest clubs - including Flamengo, Corinthians and Santos - reinforced the message.

The Brazilian Serie A had been due to start on May 3 but has been postponed indefinitely, as have the country's respective state competitions, which were approaching their final stages when the pandemic hit.

Brazil has more than 114,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, almost 8,000 of which have been fatal, according to health ministry figures.