JERUSALEM, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Israel's professional soccer clubs have received permission from the government to resume training, Israel's Ministry of Sports announced on Wednesday.
Activity in the two professional leagues in Israel, the Premier League and the National League, was suspended at the beginning of March after first coronavirus cases were diagnosed in the country.
In accordance with the Ministry of Health's guidelines, teams may conduct non-contact group training, with the pitch split into two halves with 10 players practicing on each side.
Israel's Professional Football Leagues (IPFL) organization said that the target is to resume training without any restriction in early May, preparing the teams for resuming soccer league matches.
The IPFL added that "beyond the immense sporting importance of resuming matches, soccer is a growth engine for employment for thousands of families whose income has been stopped."
Israeli Sports Minister, Miri Regev, said that "This decision joins the permits already given for the return of individual sports. These are first steps towards a return to activity in all sports." Enditem
