Coronavirus: Turkey returns to football matches with no fans

No fans in league games in 1st half of 2020-2021 season, says authority, earlier affirming 30% capacity in stadiums for fans

By Muhammed Enes Calli

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish league matches will be played without spectators in the first half of the 2020-2021 season, the Turkish Football Federation announced Thursday, revising the recently announced decision allowing limited number of fans at stadiums.

The fresh decision came after Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Wednesday that the Coronavirus Advisory Board advised the authorities football games should be held without fans in the league matches as part of measures to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Turkey is going through the second peak of the first wave of coronavirus, Koca said, with Turkey confirming 1,596 new infections on Wednesday.

Late August, the football federation announced that the stadiums could use up to 30% capacity for the fans as of October.

Turkey's top-tier Super Lig is set to start on Sept. 11.

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