Yet another American football league has been hit by the fallout from the rapid and deadly spread of the coronavirus – COVID-19.
The Irish American Football Association has postponed the start of the American Football Ireland, AFI, season, cancelling two games scheduled for Sunday, March 8.
The game between University College Dublin and the University of Limerick Vikings in the IAFA’s premier division, has been postponed as has the game in Division 2 between Trinity College Dublin and the Wexford Eagles.
According to the American Football Ireland Facebook page, management is working on a potential re-scheduling of the games on a case-by-case basis.
This should come as no surprise following a statement from the Irish government website:
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has this evening been informed of 1 new confirmed case of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) in Ireland.
The case is a male in the east of Ireland associated with travel from northern Italy.
This brings the total number of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) cases to 19.
This is the second league opening postponed due to the conronavirus. Earlier this week, the Italian Federation of American Football, FIDAF, postponed the start of the Italian season.