Burundi Premier League Finally Suspended

Burundi’s Primus Ligue has been temporality suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic after the country’s football federation came under fire for insisting games go ahead.

Most nations across the world had called a halt to domestic competitions but the Burundi Football Federation (FFB) opted to continue with the league after introducing measures in a bid to finish the season amid the pandemic.

However, on Monday, through a press release sent to clubs and signed by FFB President Révérien Ndikuriyo, FBF announced that the league would be postponed amid the continued spread of Covid-19.

“In its meeting on Apr. 12 2020, the executive committee of the Burundi Football Federation (FFB) analysed the state of the progress of national competitions, from which two qualifiers will be put forward for the international competitions, the CAF Champions League and the Confederation Cup,” FFB said in the statement.

However, Ndikuriyo said that he remains confident that the league will wrap up before the end of May.

“In terms of the leading competitions, the executive committee declared themselves satisfied, looking at the outstanding matches, that the deadline of May 30 will be respected,” adds the statement.

“It’s been decided to rearrange the calendars in respect of this date, a rearrangement which will also recognise other ongoing national activities and which will determine some of the states of the competitions.”

Primus League matches have been going on with players and spectators’ temperatures being checked upon their entry into stadiums.

“An ad hoc commission has been put in place to study the practical modalities of the implementation of all of the Ministry of Public Health’s recommendations regarding COVID-19 during this period of reorganisation,” the statement concluded.

Burundi was one the four countries in the world, along with Belarus, Nicaragua and Tajikistan – where formal league football continued to be played despite the coronavirus threat.