Moscow (AFP)

The Russian championship of football of the first division, suspended in March because of the epidemic of Covid-19, will resume on June 21 in camera, announced the federation (RFS) Friday, last illustration of the slow deconfinement in which engages the country.

This announcement comes as Russia this week has become the second country most affected in the world by the coronavirus in number of contaminations.

"The premier league season will resume on June 21," said RFS. "The remaining matches will be played without spectators, the limits on holding mass events are still in force," said Sergei Priadkin, president of the Russian Premier League.

"We will do everything to ensure the safety of all participants in the competition," he added.

Russia has decided to slowly reverse the containment measures put in place at the end of March, believing that the epidemiological situation is improving and that the significant increase in the number of cases detected was the result of its massive screening policy, not of accelerated spread of the virus.

Mortality in Russia remains low compared to other countries, with 2,418 officially registered deaths.

Critics have questioned the sincerity of the toll, accusing Moscow of knowingly underestimating the death toll of the Covid-19.

For its part, Russia explained the low mortality on the one hand because it only counts deaths whose primary cause is the new coronavirus, when other countries count almost all the deaths of patients tested positive.

The Russian authorities also say that the epidemic having arrived later in Russia, it had time to prepare its hospitals and to develop the screening.

In Europe, Germany will be the first major championship to restart behind closed doors on Saturday. More modest championships, from Serbia and Turkey, will follow, resuming May 30 and June 12, respectively.

The Spanish championship contemplates a "return to competition in June", according to the Spanish League.

In Italy, no decision has been made on whether or not to resume the championship.

For their part, France and the Netherlands have announced a definitive end to their football seasons.

© 2020 AFP