By Neto Baptiste
President of the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA), Everton Gonsalves, has welcomed news that some major team sports have been given permission by the Cabinet to resume activities even though football has been omitted from that list.
In an interview with Observer media, Gonsalves said that although the news was disheartening, he believes the authorities are doing what they believe to be in the best interest of the country on a whole.
“I am indeed happy that some sports and sports in general is being considered. I imagine that it is out of an abundance of caution why the powers that be have delayed the restart of footballing competitions, but that too will come,” he said.
On Wednesday, Cabinet announced that all major team sports, with the exception of football and basketball, would be allowed to resume training sessions given that proper social distancing protocol procedures are put in place.
Gonsalves, however, believes that it is just a matter of time before football is given the necessary clearance to resume.
“As we maintain the health of our nation as being the top priority, I am not at all displeased and I am just awaiting the news that the biggest sport, the people’s sport, will restart at a particular date when all is well,” he said.
The basketball and cricket associations have both cancelled their 2020 competitions while other team sports like netball and volleyball were yet to make decisions pertaining to their domestic leagues.
The football association had indefinitely suspended its domestic leagues in hopes that restrictions would be lifted before the end of the year.