League battling on through testing times

Chinese Football Association president Chen Xuyuan has vowed to stage an "excellent, safe and well-organized"2020 Chinese Super League season following a smooth start to the campaign last weekend.

The delayed season is underway in Dalian and Suzhou with exhaustive epidemic prevention measures in place and with games played behind closed doors.

Having been required to pass numerous COVID-19 tests prior to their departure for the hub cities, all players and staff will continue to receive weekly nucleic acid tests and monthly antibody tests.

Players, coaches, referees and core staff members are required to stay in high-protection "blue zones" at the host cities, with no contact with the outside world allowed. The CSL has warned that any violations of the rules will not be taken lightly, with potential punishments including complete banishment from the season.

The situation has become even more challenging after Dalian began to report new COVID-19 cases on July 22, just three days before the kick off.

However, Chen, who revealed that he personally had received five nucleic acid tests so far, is confident that the league's protocols can get the season across the finish line safely.

"I really don't know how the outbreak will develop in the future, and I cannot say it won't affect the new season," Chen told Xinhua. "I just know that the situation is really bumpy for Chinese soccer.

"We've always believed our epidemic prevention methods are comprehensive enough. We have to make sure people in the blue zone are 100 percent safe and there won't be any interaction between blue-zone people and green-zone people. We have to focus on every little detail. The league cannot be suspended due to these reasons."

Chen admitted that lockdown life at the CSL's hubs in Dalian and Suzhou will be a challenge for everyone involved, but has urged teams to consider the bigger picture for the Chinese game.

"We have made it clear that are four 'No's' for everyone after they arrive at the host cities. During the 70 days, there is no drinking, no hanging out, no gathering for parties and no visiting any friends or relatives outside the blue zone," said Chen.

"You violate these rules and you're out. I know we all have families. But why did we do all this? A little sacrifice is needed for the return of the season."

Chen believes the return of the topflight domestic league has averted potential damage to the careers of Chinese players, especially those who will be involved in the country's upcoming 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

China, which is second in Group A behind leader Syria, is set to resume its qualifying campaign on Oct 8 at home to the Maldives, according to the latest information from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

The first phase of the CSL season will continue until Sept 28, with the schedule of the knockout stage yet to be decided due to uncertainty surrounding the AFC Champions League and World Cup qualifying schedules.

"We have to win all the next four qualifiers to book a ticket to the World Cup," said Chen. "I told Team China head coach Li Tie there's no any other alternative. We have to win and produce our best efforts."