- Most leagues across Europe and the globe have shut down due to coronavirus
- In Belarus, they decided to start the season last week amid the ongoing crisis
- It is the last league still going in Europe and authorities have warned not to panic
- Former Arsenal player Alexander Hleb is shocked that matches are happening
As sports leagues across the globe shut down due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis, one in Europe is still going.
In fact, the Belarusian Vysheyshaya Liga took one look at the situation unfolding and decided that they would, as scheduled, kick off their season at the end of last week.
On Thursday, Energetik BGU beat BATE Borisov 3-1 to start the 2020 campaign. Fans could be seen in the stadium.
The Belarusian Vysheyshaya Liga kicked off at the end of last week amid the coronavirus crisis
Fans could be seen in attendance at the game between Isloch and Neman Grodno in Minsk
Slutsk's Roman Krivulkin battles for the ball with Slavia-Mozyr's Igor Costrov on Sunday
All along, the Belarus FA chief Vladimir Bazanov had been adamant the league would go ahead. He said last week: 'For what reason should we not start it? Is a state of emergency declared in our country?
'There is no critical situation. So we decided that we are starting the championship in a timely manner. Today.'
In part, the situation in Belarus allows for it. They have only 81 confirmed cases, which is a low figure for most countries in Europe. They only had their first positive test on February 28.
There have, as it stands, been no deaths in the nation from COVID-19.
Supporters wearing face masks watch on from the stands at the Stadyen Haradski in Barysaw
It means few can see the risk from playing games or having people turn up to watch them. Bazanov added: 'Yes, many matches in Europe have been played without spectators.
'But so many fans gather around the stadium that it makes no sense to close off the game.'
The attitude, though, stems from the top. The country's president Alexander Lukashenko has been clear that there will be no sudden moves to contain the issue.
He said on March 16: 'There shouldn't be any panic. You just have to work, especially now, in a village.
Belarus' president Alexander Lukashenko has been adamant that there is no need to panic
'It's nice watching television: people are working on tractors, no one is talking about the virus. There, the tractor will heal everyone. The fields heal everyone.'
Later in the week, he also warned against a 'psychosis' over the virus. 'People must learn self-responsibility and also to take care of those around them,' he added.
'If you have a cough and a running nose, stay at home, do not spread the infection. This is the essence. Many countries have been imposing the appropriate tough measures.'
It is no surprise, then, that the football season began as normal. Over the weekend, FC Minsk, Slutsk and Energetik went joint top of the league after winning their games 3-1. There seemed to be little social distancing going on as players battled for the ball or defended corners.
Next weekend, fixtures take place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. There is absolutely no indication that will change over the next few days.
And on Tuesday the other biggest sport in Belarus will have one of its semi-finals. Ice Hockey is popular in the nation and the Extraleague has been continuing unabated by coronavirus.
Neman Grodno will meet Soligorsk in the decider of their last-four clash. The winner of that will go onto to play Yunost Minsk in the final of a league season that began in August.
Given each play-off game is a best of seven series, there could still be plenty of action to come.
There has been little indication that more stringent measures will be introduced in the future
When it comes to football, former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder Alexander Hleb – who was capped 80 times by Belarus – is shocked at the decision to keep playing: 'In Belarus, it's like no one cares.
'It's incredible. Maybe in one week or two weeks we will stop here. Maybe our president is just waiting to see what happens with the virus.
'Everybody here knows what's happened to Italy and Spain. It doesn't look good.
'But in our country, people in the presidential administration believe it's not as extreme as the news says.
Former Arsenal player Alexander Hleb is shocked that football is still going on in his country
Hleb also represented Barcelona during his career and was capped 80 times by Belarus
Supporters invade the pitch after the final whistle at the City Stadium in Slutsk, Belarus
'A lot of young people and students here think like this. I'm keeping at home with my family. But when I go out, the streets and restaurants are still busy.'
He did, though, joke that it might be an excuse to attract some big names to their football league. 'All the world now watches the Belarusian league. Everybody should go to their television and see us,' he explained.
'When the NHL closed the season, a lot of ice hockey players went to Russia to play.
'Maybe Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo might come to the Belarus league to continue. You know?
'It's the only place in Europe you can play football. At least then the people of Belarus will be happy.'
If football fans elsewhere are desperate this weekend, it might be possible to tune in – even though Ronaldo and Messi have not moved there yet.
A selection of last weekend's games were available to stream through Bet365 – which may provide comfort for those missing the game.
It is no shock they are streaming it. Most major bookmakers in this country are offering markets on a league that few people know anything about. William Hill, SportingBet and BetVictor all have odds for this weekend.
On a weekend in which we might have watched a Midlands clash between Aston Villa and Wolves or an all-London tie between West Ham and Chelsea, the only option now is the Minsk derby.
Assuming, that is, everyone in Belarus keeps riding their tractors.
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