M-League teams expected to be vaccinated under third phase - MFL CEO

Teams participating in the Malaysia League (M-League) are expected to get their vaccine jabs in the third phase of the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme, according to Malaysian Football League (MFL) chief executive officer Datuk Ab Ghani Hassan.

He said several teams had been vaccinated so far but they did this on their own initiative in order to play in Asian Football Confederation (AFC) tournaments.

"The vaccination for M-League players will be carried out most probably in the third phase because the government is now giving priority to more deserving groups," he said when contacted today.

Teams involved in AFC competitions are Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT), who will play in the group stage of AFC Champions League from June 22 to July 7 in Thailand, and Terengganu FC (TFC) and Kedah Darul Aman (KDA) FC, both of whom will be involved in the AFC Cup group stage from June 29 to July 6 in Singapore.

KDA FC were reported to have received their first dose on April 13 while TFC reportedly received theirs yesterday.

Twenty-nine players in the national team, who are now in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, preparing for the World Cup 2022/Asian Cup 2023 qualifiers, completed their second dose on May 10.

Meanwhile, Ab Ghani said MFL would announce changes to the M-League schedule this week following the extension of quarantine for teams arriving in the country to 14 days from seven previously.

The Premier League is scheduled to resume on June 18 and the Super League on July 9, after the current break.

In KUALA TERENGGANU, TFC CEO Ab Rasid Jusoh said 30 players and 19 coaches and officials of TFC received their first jab at the Gong Badak Indoor Stadium yesterday.

“For TFC II, five players got their first jab yesterday. The remaining 23 players and 15 officials of TFC II will be vaccinated this week,” he said when contacted today.

Ab Rasid said the vaccination would also enable them to undergo camp-based training beginning today.

Due to rising COVID-19 cases, MFL has decided that only camp-based training would be allowed in areas under the Movement Control Order.

-- BERNAMA