Clubs in the English Premier League, the top division of professional football in the country, will begin to discuss whether to potentially cut player’s salaries in response to the season’s suspension due to the Coronavirus, British media report.
British Health Secretary Matt Hancock has been a notable critic of certain clubs in the division, and slammed those which had effectively furloughed non-playing staff following the decision of Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, to cover wages of employees with proven loss of earnings, for the duration of the pandemic.
Despite Hancock’s calls for leading sports teams to do more for wider society, many have speculated that slashing star player’s wages could prove counterproductive, as it would mean that less income tax would go towards the already struggling NHS.
The 2019-20 Premier League was suspended indefinitely last week as the Coronavirus continues to spread throughout the UK, after initially having been scheduled to resume in early April.
It remains unclear however when, if ever; the season will resume, or if it could simply be declared “null and void”, a decision that would no doubt shake football to its core if taken.
