Chinese Football Association hires epidemiologists ahead of new season

BEIJING - The Chinese Football Association (CFA) announced on Monday that they have hired three leading medical experts to provide advice on starting the new season, which was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In order to start the 2020 season Chinese Super League (CSL), the CFA invited renowned epidemiologist Zhang Wenhong, who is the head of Shanghai's COVID-19 clinical experts team, and two other doctors as the association's anti-epidemic experts.

According to the CFA, they will provide suggestions on a Epidemic Prevention Guidebook of Professional Leagues, which was drafted in preparation for resuming football in China.

"The virus have been under control in China and the overall environment is safe. Insisting on regular COVID-19 tests and strengthening management could help the leagues proceed safely," Zhang said.

The new CSL season, which was originally scheduled to kick off on February 22, is hopefully to start in late June or early July, following the restart of the country's major basketball league, the CBA, on June 20.