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Prime Minister Boris Johnson says plans for fans to return to sporting events in England from October 1 have been canceled.
The planned return of spectators to sports venues in England from October 1 could be on hold for six months due to fears about a second wave of coronavirus infections.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a series of restrictions in the House of Commons on Tuesday lunchtime, including those related to mass gatherings.
“We have to recognize that the spread of the virus is now affecting our ability to reopen business conferences, exhibitions and major sporting events,” he said.
“So we will not be able to do this as of October 1 and I recognize the implications for our sports clubs that are the life and soul of our communities, and my honorable friends, the Chancellor and the Secretary of Culture, we are urgently working on it. that we can”. do now to support them. “
Johnson added that the measures would remain in place for ‘maybe six months’, saying: “We will spare no effort in developing vaccines, treatments, new forms of mass testing, but unless we make tangible progress, we must assume that the restrictions that I have announced it will stay in place for maybe six months.
“For now, this virus is a fact of our lives and I must tell the House and the country that our fight against it will continue.”
1:05 Sky Sports News reporter Geraint Hughes explains that indoor team sport will not be allowed after being removed as an exemption from the ‘rule of six’
The Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport had the task of coordinating the return of the fans and had said Sky Sports News on several occasions that October 1 was an ‘aspirational’ date for which everyone would work.
He has since confirmed that all pilot events scheduled for September had been canceled and that the events would be played behind closed doors.
Premiership Rugby confirmed that this affected the game between Bath and Gloucester on Tuesday night, and Bristol against Leicester next week.
The latest announcement is a devastating blow to sports clubs across the country, many of which rely heavily on match day revenue to survive, and leaders of more than 100 sports bodies have written to the Prime Minister to request emergency funds to avoid a “lost generation of activity”.
Boris Johnson introduced a series of new measures aimed at addressing rising coronavirus cases on Tuesday.
The group warned that the future of the sector is “dangerous” and urged the government to provide a “sports recovery fund” to help the industry withstand the prolonged effects of the pandemic.
The letter, written by organizations such as the Football Association, the Premier League, the Rugby Football Union and the Cricket Board of England and Wales, says: “We need a comprehensive support package for the sports and fitness sector to help your recovery.
“This package must combine investment, tax incentives and regulatory reform.
“Covid-19 has undermined our sources of business revenue with stadiums and leisure facilities closed or severely reduced in capacity. The impact of this will potentially lead to a lost generation of sport and activity.”
3:27 Sky Sports News reporter Geraint Hughes says the Premier League is ‘disappointed’ after the government halted plans for fans to return to sporting events in England from October 1.
The Premier League was frustrated by decision
The Premier League, which wrote to the government earlier this month to tell it that clubs in all leagues were losing around £ 100 million per month as matches continued behind closed doors, issued a statement saying they believed they could still receive the fans safely despite the increase in cases.
It read: “The Premier League takes note of today’s government announcement and while the health of the nation must remain a priority for all, we are disappointed that the safe return of match fans has been postponed.
“The Premier League is confident that, through league-wide guidelines and a code of conduct developed with scientific experts and agreed to by the government’s Sports Field Safety Authority, fans in stadiums will be as safe or even safer than any other currently permitted public activity, this is already evident in other European leagues.
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“Football is not the same without the support of fans and the football economy is unsustainable without them. Last season, Premier League clubs suffered losses of £ 700 million and today our national game is losing over 100 million pounds a month, this is beginning to have a devastating impact on clubs and their communities.
“We are confident that Premier League clubs, using innovative ways for fans to return safely to the grounds, will allow revenue to flow back at all levels of the game, as well as maintain solidarity agreements, current tax contributions and support. financial for local and national economies.. “
Meanwhile, the EFL has estimated that its clubs will lose a collective 200 million pounds without fans in the stadiums throughout the 2020-21 season.
The announcement also comes just 24 hours after Warwick staged a successful pilot event, with around 450 spectators on the track with the British Horse Racing Authority expressing frustration at the delayed crowds.
Ahead of a more comprehensive planned statement from racing industry leaders, the BHA tweeted: “The delay in the public’s return to sporting events is deeply frustrating news after so many efforts have been made to carry out the pilots within the rules agreed with the government and local health authorities. “
Government to meet urgently with sports organizations
During today’s announcement, Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed that Sport Secretary for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Oliver Dowden MP) was’ working closely with the Premier League and others to identify ways we can keep these clubs in motion, can support sport at all levels during the pandemic. ‘
Dowden will meet remotely with leaders from a variety of sports Tuesday afternoon, and while discussions will unfold at a rapid pace, no conclusions are expected in terms of emergency funding by the end of the day.
So far, government funding has resulted in the rugby league receiving 16 million pounds in loans, while Sport England, whose role is grassroots sport, has made available a fund of 210 million pounds.
However, it is understood that the government holds the view that the Premier League and the EFL should support each other, but is open to the idea of identifying where there is a critical need in the sports sector and offering financial support.
Major sporting events in the UK, including Premier League football, English international cricket and two Formula One races at Silverstone, have been held behind closed doors over the summer, with the sport suspended entirely during the period of lockdown from March to early June.
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