Leeds announce pre-season tour to war-torn Myanmar

Leeds are planning a pre-season tour of Myanmar despite Foreign Office travel warnings being in place for various parts of the country.

The Sky Bet Championship club are scheduled to play an All-Star XI in Yangon on May 9 and then Myanmar’s national team in Mandalay on May 11.

Both cities fall outside areas which the Foreign Office has advised should be avoided.

A Leeds spokesman told Press Association Sport that the club is liaising with the Foreign Office and will avoid any areas of conflict.

Further advice and travel details will be released for Leeds supporters, the club said.

Two companies owned by Leeds chairman Andrea Radrizzani, Aser and Eleven Sports, have business partnerships in the region and there are expected to be commercial benefits from the tour.

Leeds will be holding football clinics with the Myanmar Football Federation Academies in Yangon and Mandalay.

Violent clashes between Myanmar’s government troops and militants are on-going in several areas of the country.

Myanmar’s governing regime has been accused of ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims, while insurgent attacks on police and army bases last summer killed 70 people.

 

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