The
planned return of spectators to sports venues in England from October 1
could be on hold for six months due to fears over a second wave of
coronavirus infections.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a range of restrictions in the House
of Commons on Tuesday lunchtime, including those related to mass gatherings.
"We have to acknowledge that the spread of the virus is now affecting our
ability to reopen business conferences, exhibitions and large sporting
events," he said.
"So we will not be able to do this from October 1 and I recognise the
implications for our sports clubs which are the life and soul of our
communities, and my right honourable friends the Chancellor and the Culture
Secretary are working urgently on what we can do now to support them."
Johnson added the measures would remain in place for 'perhaps six months',
saying: "We will spare no effort in developing vaccines, treatments, new
forms of mass-testing but unless we palpably make progress we should assume
that the restrictions that I have announced will remain in place for perhaps
six months.
"For the time being, this virus is a fact of our lives and I must tell the
House and the country that our fight against it will continue."
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport was tasked with
co-ordinating the return of fans and had told Sky Sports News on several
occasions that October 1 was an 'aspirational' date which they would all
work towards.
It has since confirmed all pilot events scheduled for September had been
cancelled and the events would be played behind closed doors.
Premiership Rugby confirmed this affected the match 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 whom rely heavily on match-day revenue for survival, and
leaders of more than 100 sports bodies have written to the Prime Minister to
request emergency funds to stave off a "lost generation of activity".
The group warned the future of the sector is "perilous" and urged the
government to provide a "sports recovery fund" in order to help the industry
endure the prolonged effects of the pandemic.
The letter, written by organisations including the Football Association,
Premier League, Rugby Football Union and England and Wales Cricket Board,
reportedly states: "We require a comprehensive support package for the sport
and physical sector to aid its recovery.
"This package must combine investment, tax incentives, and regulatory
reform.
"Covid-19 has undermined our commercial revenue streams with both stadiums
and leisure facilities closed or greatly reduced in capacity. The impact of
this will potentially lead to a lost generation of sport and activity."
Premier League left frustrated by decision
The Premier League, who wrote to the government earlier this month to say
around £100m per month was being lost by clubs across the leagues while
matches continued behind closed doors, released a statement saying they
believed they could still host fans safely despite rising cases.
It read: "The Premier League notes the government's announcement today and
while the health of the nation must remain everyone's priority, we are
disappointed that the safe return of supporters to matches has been
postponed.
"The Premier League is certain that, through league-wide guidelines and a
code of conduct developed with scientific experts and agreed by the
government's Sports Ground Safety Authority, fans in stadiums will be as
safe or even safer than at any other public activity currently permitted.
This is already evident in other European leagues.
"Football is not the same without attending fans and the football economy is
unsustainable without them. Last season, Premier League clubs suffered £700m
in losses and at present, our national game is losing more than £100m per
month. This is starting to have a devastating impact on clubs and their
communities.
"We are confident that Premier League clubs, using innovative ways to get
supporters safely back into grounds, will enable revenues to return to all
levels of the game, as well as maintain solidarity arrangements, current tax
contributions and financial support for local and national economies."
Meanwhile, the EFL has estimated its clubs will lose a collective £200m
without fans in stadiums for the whole of the 2020-21 season.
The announcement also comes barely 24 hours after Warwick staged a
successful pilot event, with around 450 spectators on track with the British
Horseracing Authority spelling out its frustration at the delay of crowds.
In advance of a planned fuller statement from racing's industry leaders, the
BHA tweeted: "The delay to the public's return to sport events is deeply
frustrating news after so much effort has been put into carrying out pilots
within the rules agreed with govt and local health authorities."
Government to urgently meet sports bodies
During today's announcement, Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed the
Secretary of Sport for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Oliver Dowden MP)
was 'working flat out with the Premier League and others to identify ways in
which we can keep these clubs going, we can support sport at all levels
throughout the pandemic.'
Dowden remotely met with leaders from a range of sports on Tuesday
afternoon.
Following talks he took to Twitter, saying: "I've just held a meeting with
major spectator sports to discuss today's decision to help contain the virus
through winter We agreed to work together to help them through this
difficult period.
"So far government funds have seen rugby league receive £16m in loans while
Sport England, whose remit is in grassroots sport, has made access available
to a £210m fund."
However, the government is understood to remain of the view that the Premier
League and the EFL should support each other, but is open to the idea of
identifying where there is 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 sport suspended completely
during the lockdown period from March through to the start of June.
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