Arab Contractors Club announced on Monday it is cutting this month's salaries of first team players and staff by 50 per cent to preserve employees' wages.

The club said in an official statement that as part of the Arab Contractors’ awareness-raising role in society and support of the state’s efforts to combat coronavirus, the club will cut half of this month’s wages to safeguard the employees' pay.

“The club announces the decision of the technical staff, spearheaded by Emad El-Nahhas, and the players to give up half of their salaries to ensure that all the workers and employees receive their paychecks amid the current circumstances,” said the club.

The Arab Contractors are not the first to take the same step. Pyramids FC announced earlier cutting the players’ wages to donate 500 medical units.

Ittihad of Alexandria’s coach Talaat Youssef and technical staff gave up 50 percent of their salaries since football activities are paused in Egypt.

“We must show solidarity and ensure a decent life for all employees of Ittihad Club. Our duty is to play a moral and material role in these difficult times,” Youssef told On Time Sport2 on Sunday.

As this season's fate is still in limbo, like in most countries, there have been calls the salaries of Premier League players be cut to reduce the financial impact of the pandemic on their clubs.

Officials in clubs have so far been shy opening the subject, but several former players said the sport's leading stars, especially those playing for prominent clubs such as Ahly and Zamalek, should take the initiative.

Football activity in Egypt has been suspended since 14 March after the government decided to tighten measures to curb the spread of coronavirus.

(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)