PLAYING football is still prohibited as it poses a high risk for Covid-19 infections through close contact, said Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

The senior minister said the National Security Council will not permit the game to be played even in an empty stadium, referring to Malaysia League matches that have been abandoned due to the movement-control order.

“There are two issues with football. First, we can’t allow spectators inside stadiums for now.

“Secondly, football is a contact sport. There will be contact between players and this is risky,” he told his daily media briefing in Putrajaya today.

He added the NSC will later seek feedback from the Health Ministry on allowing the sport, including on standard operating procedures that need to be put in place.

“When the conditional MCO ends, which we don’t know when, we will seek the Health Ministry’s advice on continuing football.”

The CMCO is set to end on June 9. It is uncertain if the government will extend it. The nation has been under MCO since March 18.

Ismail Sabri also warned the state football associations against issuing their own SOPs.

“The NSC will decide this at the federal level. I don’t want states to act on their own. That would be unlawful.” – May 31, 2020.