Deportivo Coopsol
The Deportivo Coopsol, from the Second Division, has terminated the contracts of its entire squad, alleging that it cannot pay salaries while football is suspended due to the COVID-19 health emergency, but with the promise of rehiring them if the tournament finally takes place.
The coaching staff and players of Coopsol learned about their dismissals through a letter from their president, Freddy Ames.
In the letter, published by the newspaper Líbero, Ames argues that it is very likely that the championship will not be played after being indefinitely suspended.
The Second Division championship was scheduled to start in early May, but it has been suspended since mid-March when the state of emergency was declared in the country, which includes a mandatory quarantine for the entire population and the total closure of borders.
Although these measures have been extended until April 26th, the Minister of Health, Víctor Zamora, has already anticipated that football cannot be played with an audience until a vaccine against the coronavirus is available, which may take around a year and a half.
That is why Ames is convinced that it will be impossible to hold the tournament since a significant portion of the income for teams in that category comes from stadium ticket sales.
"It is not possible to play Liga 2 behind closed doors. That is why we have to consider that this year the championship will not be able to be played, at least in Liga 2," said Ames to Radio Ovación in early April.
"We hope to receive some of the money sent by FIFA to solve our issues because, without resources, we cannot maintain our players," he added.
The Professional Football Sports Association (ADFP), which represents the clubs of the first and second divisions, requested economic assistance from the Peruvian Football Federation (FPF).
For now, the Federation, whose employees have agreed to a 25% pay cut in April, May, and June, has only stated that it will announce the corresponding aid when there is certainty about the end of the lockdown. EFE