One day after UEFA created extra space for domestic league the football authorities took decisive action by declaring Club Brugge as their 2019/20 champions.
Rather than hang around with dates being pushed further and further back the Pro League Board have shown some leadership and given clubs some certainty as they plan ahead for the resumption of football- whenever that will be.
With a 15 point advantage after 29 rounds of fixtures Brugge have looked champions for some time which is similar to the position in Scotland.
Once the proposal is rubber-stamped in a fortnight clubs can plan for next season, player contracts aren’t an issue with an upturn in the battle against the pandemic clearly the priority.
Whenever it is safe to resume, clubs can go into pre-season mode rather than re-start a campaign halted three or four months earlier.
In a measured statement today the Belgian League clearly stated the overwhelming case to call the current positions as final with regard to winning the title:
The Pro League Board of Directors met today by conference call. The most important item on the agenda was obviously the issue of continued competition in the context of the coronavirus crisis.
The current situation, particularly precarious, in which our country finds itself has as a consequence that sport is not and cannot be considered as the first concern, however entertaining and relaxing it may be.
In this context, it is the responsibility of the Board of Directors to make a recommendation to the General Assembly for the continuation of the competition, taking into account public health, the interests of all stakeholders and the wishes of the majority of clubs. do not resume competition.
The Board of Directors has taken note of the recommendations of Dr Van Ranst and the authorities, according to which it is very unlikely that matches with the public can take place before June 30. The current situation does not allow us to know if and when a resumption of collective training can be planned.
In addition, a resumption of competition could not exclude the risks to the health of players, employees and all those involved in the organization of matches and in maintaining order. In addition, the possible contamination of a player or a core of players risks influencing the sporting development of the rest of the competition in an unacceptable manner.
Even if closed matches were theoretically possible, the additional pressure that the organization of such matches would place on health services and law enforcement should be avoided. In addition, the decisions of the local authorities threaten to make it impossible to run the championship days simultaneously.
The Board of Directors unanimously decided that it was not desirable, whatever the scenario envisaged, to continue the competition after June 30. Taking into account the above elements, the Board of Directors formulated a unanimous opinion to the General Assembly in order not to resume the competitions of the 19-20 season and to accept the current classification of the Jupiler Pro League as classification final (subject to the decisions of the Licensing Commission).
The Board of Directors has set up a working group (composed of Messrs. Croonen, Louwagie, Cordier, Allijns, Bormans and the management of the Pro League) which will examine the sports problems and the financial implications of this decision. . The possibility of playing in the Croky Cup final and the return match of the Proximus League final will be among the subjects dealt with in this working group.
The General Assembly will be convened for Wednesday April 15.
