Covid-19: Government announces multi-million package for sports sector
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The federal government has pledged CHF500 million ($515 million) to support sports clubs and associations in Switzerland hit by restrictions introduced to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. More than half of that sum will be provided to professional football and hockey leagues in the form of loans to guarantee their viability until the end of the 2020-2021 season. The government earmarked CHF350 million to the leagues, with the first CHF175 million in loans designed to make up for revenue lost between June 1 and the end of 2020. If matches can take place only in a limited capacity for a year, the other half of that sum will be added to the 2021 government budget. Many sports competitions have been cancelled or postponed since the end of February because of the pandemic. The Swiss Super League postponed football matches, which can resume on June 8 following the relaxation of lockdown measures. However, the league had raised concerns about lingering financial and health ...