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The government’s top scientific adviser says he is “not aware” of any cases of Covid-19 transmission among children playing soccer outdoors.
Youth sport will only be allowed in schools.
Meanwhile, England Golf has accepted defeat in its lobbying for a clemency and says golf clubs and facilities will close on Thursday.
Baroness Gray-Thompson also said the decision to close the gyms was “incredibly disappointing on many levels.”
On Tuesday, at a meeting of the science and technology select committee, England’s chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, and senior scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance, were asked about the suspension from youth sport.
Vallance said the measures also took into account “interactions” in events like grassroots sports outside of school.
When asked by Speaker of Parliament Greg Clark if he knew of any cases of coronavirus infection among boys who played grassroots soccer, Vallance said: “Not that I know of. There may be evidence, but I haven’t seen it.”
Clark said the youth sports ban seemed “perverse” given the low outdoor transmission rates and the importance of exercise for children and asked if it was something Vallance could “advise more” on the government.
“We’ve been very clear about where we think the transmission areas are most likely to be,” Vallance said.
“But we also have to be very clear that a complete package must take into account everything, including interactions around events, which become quite important.
“Then policy makers must decide what policies they want to adopt based on that.”
When Clark asked them if they advised the government to ban children’s outdoor sports, Vallance said, “They received our advice in terms of general principles, but not on specific individual activities like that.”
Whitty added that it would be “profoundly futile” for them to start “trying to unravel really difficult packages” that the government had crafted by advising them to revoke the ban on children’s grassroots sport.
He said, “This is a difficult balancing act across government. We fully understand that and our job is to give extensive advice and then let them put the various elements together.”
Elite sport can continue behind closed doors during the running of the bulls.
Exemptions from youth sports were called for when the new restrictions go into effect Thursday.
Former Welsh midfielder Robbie Savage, who runs a youth team, criticized the decision to suspend children’s sport in a series of tweets, asking Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden if he realized the “impact of this decision on physical well-being and youth mental “.
Golf courses and gyms to close on Thursday
The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Golf (APPGG) wrote to Prime Minister Boris Johnson on behalf of golf authorities and other leading industry groups to make the case for golf being exempted from stricter restrictions.
However, the group’s chairman, North Warwickshire MP Craig Tracey, said “no more could be done” to persuade the government to change its position and England Golf CEO Jeremy Tomlinson has written to members. of the organization to confirm the news.
Tomlinson wrote: “It is with a feeling of deep regret that we must now inform all affiliated golf clubs and driving ranges that they must prepare to close from Thursday, November 5, to Wednesday, December 2, 2020.
“England Golf, as the governing body for amateur play and together with our colleagues at the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Golf, respectfully but vigorously challenged the government to defend golf courses to remain open.
“As an outdoor sport played by a limited number in a vast outdoor setting that naturally lends itself to social distancing, we push for continued golfing in accordance with our ‘Play Safe, Stay Safe’ framework approved by the government”.
Tomlinson said that golf offers physical and mental health benefits to participants, but called on clubs to “abide by the legislation” that takes effect overnight.
Meanwhile, Baroness Gray-Thompson, UKactive president, fears that closing gyms during the shutdown will have “serious repercussions for the nation.”
“There are many people across the country who have been thinking about how to get fitter and healthier, along with their families, and they would have been looking to our industry to support them through this harsh winter to do that,” he said. said.
“It feels like a misstep that the government has not heeded our continued strong calls to categorize our industry as essential and to recognize the staggering safety standards our industry has maintained during this period.”
