The
Premier League, EFL, The FA, Women's Super League and Women's Championship
have written an open letter imploring the Government to allow supporters to
return safely to stadiums.
Premier League chief executive, Richard Masters, his EFL counterpart David
Baldwin, FA chief executive Mark Bullingham and FA Director of Women's
Professional Game Kelly Simmons have all signed the letter which calls for
the return of the test-event programme and consistency in Government policy
regarding the re-opening of certain venues and events.
It had been hoped successful pilot events would see turnstiles re-open on a
limited basis from October 1, but those plans were put on hold in the wake
of a national rise in coronavirus cases.
National League clubs received an offer of financial aid from the Government
to help them start the season last weekend, while a support package for the
three divisions below the Premier League remains the subject of ongoing
dialogue.
The letter states that fans should be allowed to return after 11 recent
successful test events and says clubs "are considering measures both in the
stadium and on the approach that will allay any concerns as to fans'
safety", with plans in place for spectators inside the ground and travelling
to the venues.
The various governing bodies also say they will continue to work with
scientists and medical experts to pioneer new approaches that will "make
sure stadiums are COVID-safe" going forward.
While the letter states that the "health of the nation remains our
overriding priority", it calls for the return of supporters for the good of
local communities and economies and wants the Government to treat sport "as
fairly as other activities currently allowed to welcome spectators".
The full letter reads…
The Premier League, EFL, The FA, Women's Super League and Women's
Championship want to assure all fans that together we are fully committed to
your safe return to football grounds as soon as possible.
The health of the nation remains our overriding priority, and for many
months we have been working with experts to make our grounds as safe as, if
not safer than, any other public activity currently allowed. And we are
consulting with the Football Supporters' Association to keep supporters
updated every step of the way.
We know attendance at matches can play a positive role in people's lives
during these challenging times. And the past few months have shown how clubs
can still feel the support of their fans. Even when you have been unable to
get together, you and your clubs have found ways to make a difference in
your communities, with clubs delivering food parcels, taking part in phone
calls and online conversations with fans, the elderly and vulnerable and
moving services and programmes online to make a difference in unprecedented
and challenging circumstances.
But we all know football is not the same without fans. Every player and
manager is missing the direct connection with you and the impact that you
have on our games.
With the EFL, Premier League, Women's Super League and Women's Championship
already staging 11 successful test events recently, we have demonstrated
that we can deliver matches safely. The sooner we can return, the sooner we
can reunite communities and support local jobs, livelihoods, regional
businesses and also the national economy.
We will continue to urge Government to allow us to return fans safely to
stadiums. It is positive progress that major arts and music venues have been
told they can run socially-distanced events indoors. And now football should
be allowed to do the same - in highly regulated and stewarded outdoor
environments.
Additionally, representatives from football are active members of the
Government's Sports Technology and Innovation Group, as well as being
involved with their 'Moonshot' mass-testing project to open up the economy.
And in light of the postponement of test events we will intensify our
efforts to pioneer new approaches - working with epidemiologists, scientists
and medical experts in areas such as public health, clinical processes and
occupational hygiene. This will make sure stadiums are COVID-safe by
considering best practice screening and hygiene methods to ensure that fans
and the general public will be safe and drive the Government's sporting
plans to move faster.
Stadium environments can be modified and carefully managed. Measures could
include screening spectators before they enter the ground, installing
temperature checks, requiring masks to be worn, one-way systems and
providing a code of conduct for all those attending on a matchday. This will
all be bolstered by deep-cleaning practices to help further reduce the risk
of virus transmission.
Clubs want to be pro-active on this matter and are considering measures both
in the stadium and on the approach that will allay any concerns as to fans'
safety. From a travel perspective, clubs will work closely with experts and
local authorities to model solutions relevant for each stadium to ease
pressure on public transport, while extra parking facilities could be
available so a greater proportion of you can travel by private car or
bicycle.
We are determined to identify a path forward with Government. We need
clarity for our clubs and for you as supporters as to what the roadmap for
change in this area looks like. We all know why caution is needed, and we
ask Government for consistency in their policy so sport is treated as fairly
as other activities currently allowed to welcome spectators.
So, we will continue to urge the relevant authorities to let us, together,
use innovative ways to bring fans safely back into football grounds,
starting with a return of the test event programme. If we do so, then the
benefits will be felt not just by fans but throughout society and the
economy.
Richard Masters, Premier League Chief Executive
David Baldwin, EFL Chief Executive
Mark Bullingham, The FA Chief Executive
Kelly Simmons, The FA Director of Women's Professional Game
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