With most national sports federations planning to return through competitive tournaments in December amid the new normal, Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) yesterday kicked off the JFA U-14 National Women’s Football Championship across the country following a seven-and-a-half month break due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Though a few federations such as karate and weightlifting held online competitions in October, taekwondo dared stage to the physical tournament by holding a Poomsae event, one kind of physical demonstration, at National Sports Council in September after the government allowed the federations to start activities at a small scale.
Bangladesh Handball Federation also staged the Federation Cup in a small scale with participation of only four teams but football’s governing body is planning to hold the JFA Cup on a large scale with participation of nearly 900 footballers from 49 district teams.
The sixth edition championship got underway in Dinajpur — one of seven zonal venues – which is hosting defending champions Rangpur, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh, Nilphamari, Kurigram and Lalmonirhat at Dinajpur district stadium.
“We are strictly following health guidelines and not allowing anyone other than people related with the match enter the ground. We have also made arrangement for accommodation and availing those facilities depends on the participating teams,” Dinajpur DFA president Golam Nobi Dulal said. “Dinajpur district administration is determined to keep coronavirus at bay, so everyone wears the mask,” Dulal said, adding that they did not arrange any publicity campaign and the stadium was almost empty with 15 to 20 spectators turning up to watch the day’s first match.
“It could have been better had the tournament been staged one or two months later. Then we could have got more time for preparation,” Hossain said, adding that they do not have much problem with Covid-19 as everyone is living a normal way.
“The children are really happy to take part in training as they were confined inside their homes for a long time due to the pandemic even though a few people were infected with the virus in Panchagarh,” Panchagarh DFA president Shafiqul Islam said. “We will start tomorrow (Wednesday) morning for Dinajpur, play the match there and stay there if we win.”
