According to multiple player sources, the French Federation of American Football, FFFA, Fédération Française de Football Américain, based on a meeting with all the teams has decided that the season is over and to cancel the rest of the 2020 season due to the coronavirus, COVID-19. Teams have begun to send their import players home.
The season in France had reached through the third round of play with three teams, the La Courneuve Flash, defending champion Thonon Black Panthers, and the Marseille Blue Stars all with undefeated records.
The FFFA had previously put the season on hold until late March but many teams, assuming, with France under strict lockdown, that this was inevitable, had begun sending their import players home.
Thonon Black Panthers wide receiver Exavier Edwards, a Los Angeles native, and the team’s Canadian offensive coordinator Yannik Vanasse from Montreal had already left for home.
The Marseille Blue Stars have released their import players, Kaleb Scott, Gabriel Martin Bisson and Sami Belghezli while offensive coordinator Mele J. Mosqueda has left for the Ravensburg Razorbacks in the German Football League.
Coronavirus spread in France
France is one of the nations hardest hit by the coronavirus. The number of people infected with the new coronavirus and the death toll from the disease is climbing and in the past 24 hours, the virus has claimed another 112 lives raising the death toll to 562 according to the French Health Ministry.
The number of infection cases surged to 14,459, with 6,172 in hospitals and 1,525 of them in intensive care, it added.
Lockdown in force
To curb the coronavirus pandemic, France (and Paris and its surroundings) have moved into partial lockdown. The number of coronavirus cases in France has been rising rapidly in the last few days, and the government has imposed strict measures to try to contain its spread, including closing cafes, public spaces and schools.
For the next two weeks, anyone found walking outside in France will have to justify, upon request, their “essential” reason for leaving their homes via a sworn statement, either written or downloaded. A force of 100,000 police officers has been deployed to enforce the lockdown. Gathering with family or friends, picnicking in public spaces or engaging in group sports are strictly banned.
Those without a valid reason for being outside will be subject a fine of between 38 and 135 euros. Public transport will continue to operate at a reduced frequency.