Egyptian football champions Ahly resumed training sessions on Wednesday ahead of the resumption of the Egyptian Premier League, which has been suspended for almost three months due to the coronavirus crisis.

“After taking all the precautionary measures and seeing that all the players and technical staff members tested negative for coronavirus on Sunday, the team returned to training on Wednesday morning,” reads a statement on Ahly’s official website.

Sports activities have been suspended since mid-March due to the coronavirus, but the government has decided to allow sports to resume starting 20 June, which is part of a wider relaxation of restrictions that will see restaurants, clubs and mosques open their doors starting Saturday.

Footballing activity will be resumed starting 25 July, and clubs may start training before then, once they have completed the required medical tests for players and staff.

Egyptian football clubs have been divided over whether the country should resume the Premier League competition, with some supporting the planned resumption of the season and others opposing it.

Ahly have welcomed the league’s resumption, while other clubs including archrivals Zamalek, Wadi Degla and Aswan SC have opposed the idea.

On Tuesday, Pyramids FC were the first Egyptian team to resume training sessions.

Before the current suspension of football activities due to the coronavirus, title holders Ahly were leading the league table with 49 points after playing 17 matches.

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