Belarus-based Ghanaian footballer shares scary story on coronavirus

James Kotei says that his family in Ghana is worried at his having to play football matches despite the presence of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Despite all football activities coming to a halt due to the spread of the virus, Belarus is the only country in Europe that has its elite league still in session.

The country’s president, Aleksandr Lukashenko, has downplayed the effects of the disease and thus, has not placed any restrictions on gatherings and events as has been done in Ghana.

According to the Belarus-based Ghanaian footballer who plays for Slavia-Mozyr, the current situation in Europe is something his family is really worried about.

“They are always scared, they keep on telling me to be careful. They say things like: ‘We need you alive’ and ‘put your mask on’. They are scared they don’t understand why we keep playing football,” he told TV3 Sports.

He went on to give details of how he was coping in the country in the face of the Coronavirus pandemic.

“I must be frank with you as a player you are like a warrior, the moment you step on the field there are so many things you forget about it and you don’t think the virus. It is after the game that you realise there is this thing going on and I have to be careful.

“Initially, we would find out from them that what was going on and why we were still playing the league while in other countries, football had been put on hold.

“They tell us the margin is not huge here but recently I heard the President is putting some measures in place because even the doctors taking care of the affected ones are also contracting the virus.

“They are looking to the federation to maybe say the league has been put on hold,” he added.

Around the world, Covid-19 has so far infected 1,888,976 persons while 117,586 deaths have been registered.