New Delhi, The All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Indian football players were among those lauded by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for their contributions towards the fight against coronavirus.

"The All India Football Federation (AIFF), the Guam Football Association (GFA), the J. League and the Wuhan Football Association have helped by giving donations, promoting public awareness messages and opening training centres to house medical teams," AFC stated in a press release.

"...players from India -- Pritam Kotal, Pronoy Halder, Prabir Das and Arindam Bhattacharjee -- have contributed a combined total of Rs 145,000 to various charities and donated food, and organised feeding-the-poor programmes in the country," the AFC said.

The AIFF had contributed Rs 25 lakh to the PM-CARES Fund that has been set up to help in the fight against coronavirus. Apart from that, players have been helping out in their own way.

Striker Jeje Lalpekhlua has donated blood to a local organisation in Mizoram in his bid to contribute towards the fight against Covid-19 pandemic. Winger C.K. Vineeth meanwhile is answering the phone on a coronavirus helpline centre in Kerala.

The pandemic has put a freeze on sporting action almost everywhere in the world. Football in Asia has been no different with matches in domestic leagues across the continent, continental championships and 2022 World Cup qualifiers all being either postponed or cancelled.