France's Ligue 1 and 2 cancelled amid Covid-19 crisis: Report

Paris, April 28 (IANS) France's top division Ligue 1 and second division Ligue 2 have been cancelled in the wake of coronavirus pandemic, according to media reports in France.It was earlier suggested that matches may resume from June 17 but according to media outlet Le Parisien, the French Prime Minister Edouard Phillippe is set to extend the lockdown into second phase and that will see no football being played in the country till August.Meanwhile, L'Equipe are reporting that the ongoing football season has been cancelled and official announcement will be made soon. European football governing body UEFA had earlier given a May 25 deadline to national football associations to provide plans of restarting their respective leagues.Considering reports of football not getting started in France till August, the ongoing season is set to be suspended.If this indeed happens then France will become the second nation to call off their football league after Netherlands. The Dutch Eredivisie was cancelled without a champion being named or any team being relegated. Cambuur head coach Henk de Jong had earlier called the move as the 'biggest disgrace in the history of Dutch sport'. His side were 11 points clear at the top of second division and were set for promotion when the season was scrapped.
--IANS bbh/