Rio suspends football for two weeks
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E-mail Xinhua, March 17, 2020
Rio de Janeiro's state championship is the latest Latin American football competition to be suspended because of the coronavirus.
Rio's football chiefs decided to implement a 15-day recess following an emergency meeting with club presidents on Monday.
The decision had the support of each of Rio's top four sides - Flamengo, Fluminense, Botafogo and Vasco da Gama.
Last weekend's matches were marked by protests in which Flamengo and Botafogo players walked onto the pitch for their respective games with their faces covered by masks or their hands.
The fixtures were played without fans, a decision that riled some players and officials, who argued that they were also at risk of contracting the virus.
On Sunday, the Brazilian Football Confederation halted all major national tournaments but deferred a decision about state championships to local federations.
Other suspended football competitions in the region include the Copa Libertadores - the South American equivalent of the UEFA Champions League - as well as the national leagues in Colombia, Paraguay, Chile, Bolivia, Mexico, Uruguay and Ecuador.
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