COVID-19 Alert: No IPL Matches In Delhi Says Manish Sisodia

New Delhi: In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, Deputy chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia told the media on Friday that no IPL matches would be held in Delhi. He also remarked that large gatherings will not be allowed in the national capital. This includes sports events, he clarified.

Sisodia said that while the BCCI would take a call on the IPL schedule, Delhi would not host matches in view of COVID-19. The Deputy chief Minister of Delhi also observed that in Korea one individual who slipped screening infected 10,000 others. This was the proportion of the super spreading nature of COVID-19, he said. Sisodia remarked that the government needed to take stringent measures to curb COVID-19 through its decisions.

Meanwhile, the IPL Governing Council is scheduled to meet on Saturday to review the schedule of the tournament and take a decision in the matter. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has advised organisers of all sporting events including IPL to put off scheduled tournaments.

It is likely that the IPL Governing Council may decide to postpone the schedule by two weeks and rework it accordingly, or hold the tournament behind closed doors, keeping in mind the Centre's advisory.

COVID-19 has affected sporting events across the world. The ODI series between Australia and New Zealand will be held behind closed doors, it was reported.