The Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) has announced that it has decided to end the 2019-20 football season formally due to the COVID-19 pandemic; abandoning all the professional and semi-professional leagues, the top flight included, with no promotions or relegations, and no champions.
The decision came after the EFF executive committee held a meeting on the issue among its members Today at their headquarters, with members not present attending via video conference. The statement from the federation revealed that the committee has been in direct consult with the government on the fate of the football season in Ethiopia. But based on the uncertainty of when the pandemic will be controlled, and after discussing with the Ethiopian League Company leadership, the EFF has decided to void the current season of football in the country.
The pronouncement from EFF states that there are no champions, promotions or relegations this season, and Ethiopia will not have any representatives in the upcoming editions of the continental club competitions; the CAF Champions League and Confederations Cup. The federation also urged member clubs to honor the contracts of players staying at their teams only until the end of the season, and make the obligatory payments.
Prior to the temporary suspension of the Ethiopian Premier League a month back, Fasil Kenema were sitting at the summit of the table with 30 points after 17 matches, a point ahead of second-placed Mekelle 70 Enderta. Kidus Giorgis were third with 28 points while Hadiya Hosaena sit at the base of the log with 14 points after 17 fixtures.
Ethiopia joins Angola, Mauritania, Guinea, Liberia and Burkina Faso as the African nations that have declared the 2019/20 season of their local championships null and void, while Kenya ended the season by declaring Gor Mahia as the winners.
Mali, Tunisia,Tanzania and Burundi have announced they will complete the season and anticipate resumption in June.
The country remains in a five month long state of emergency declared three weeks back in an effort to limit the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).
