Soccer already resuming play in this European country

MLS: Portland Timbers at New England Revolution

With the current worldwide pandemic shutting down most activities and virtually all sporting events, there is still one place in Europe where football is still being played-with fans in attendance.

That’s the Vysheyshaya Liga in Belarus.  The league kicked off on March 19 on the insistence of the country’s president Aleksandr Lukashenko.

“[Coronavirus] is just another psychosis, which will benefit some people and harm others,” Lukashenko said last week. “The civilized world is going nuts. It is absolute stupidity to close state borders. The panic can hurt us more than the virus itself.”

Their derby yesterday, which saw FC Minsk beat rivals Dynamo Minsk 3-2, was played in front of a sellout crowd of 3,000 fans, the vast majority of who wore no masks or protective clothing to ward off coronavirus.  

While no one knows when the other European leagues will be able to resume play, tickets for the Belarus League are currently on sale for the curious (or the brave). Just bring your own mask and gloves. 

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