FK Željezničar's stance is clear and loud: We want and can continue football competitions

(Patria) - FK Željezničar informs its members, fans, sponsors and friends that the Club has submitted to the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina its official stance on the continuation of the championship, answers to the submitted Questionnaire, and a detailed plan for the organisation of matches and the training process.

"All football competitions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, related to the COVID-19 virus, were postponed on 12 March 2020. Following the public information media daily, we can say that the epidemiological situation in BiH is satisfactory, and this is confirmed by the decisions of the competent authorities which have allowed almost all activities to resume, and in our opinion, it is time for sports as well.

FK Željezničar's stance on the continuation of all football competitions in BiH is clear - the most trophy-winning BiH club wants the continuation of the BH Telecom Premier League of BiH and the Cup of our country, so that we can get decisions on the champion, the Cup winner, the teams that will represent BiH on the European stage, and the places leading to lower ranks on the green field.

Last week, the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina submitted a Questionnaire to the clubs containing questions about the continuation of the championship, and FK Željezničar submitted to the umbrella organisation of BiH football answers to all questions, as well as detailed documents related to:

Plan for organising a match as the home team;
Clear and precise plan for departure and travel to away matches;
List of measures and instructions on behaviour for players and other staff between matches, training, etc.
 
The submitted plans contain all details such as the organisation and implementation of the training process, testing for COVID-19, constant disinfection of locker rooms and premises at the stadium, travel to away matches and stay in quarantine, organisation of the home match, arrival of teams and officials at the stadium, and a plan for organising media activities.

We believe that the competition should be completed in the existing format if the epidemiological measures and decisions of the competent authorities in the Federation of BiH and the Republika Srpska allow it. However, if conditions for the continuation of the championship from 07.06.2020, as proposed at the video meeting on 14.05.2020, are not created, FK Željezničar has submitted to the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina and all clubs four proposals for competition terms and formats, all with the aim of a regular and sporting conclusion of the competition. All these proposals are fully in line with the recommendations and conditions prescribed by UEFA.

FK Željezničar believes that the continuation of the BH Telecom Premier League of BiH and the BiH Cup is realistic, especially due to the easing of measures in recent days, and we emphasise that due to not playing matches, clubs could lose significant financial resources, and given the already difficult situation in BiH football and sports in general, this would be a very heavy blow for the clubs.

We hope that we will follow the path of almost all European countries and leagues from the region that have decided to continue football competitions despite having a more difficult epidemiological situation and statistically many more infected. If, however, a decision is made to end the championship, FK Željezničar's stance in the event of the championship ending, regarding the standings, is that no team should leave the Premier League of BiH, no champion should be declared, and that the teams currently in the standings should achieve participation in European competitions. Nevertheless, we hope that the championship will not be ended, and that it is clear to everyone that football without fans, and especially without the game, makes no sense", it was stated from Željezničar.