No fan restriction for rugby league in ‘Covid-free’ NZ
WELLINGTON:Fans will be allowed in unrestricted numbers when Super Rugby resumes in New Zealand this weekend, organisers said on Monday, hailing the move as a world first after professional sport’s Covid-19 shutdown.
“We’re incredibly proud, and grateful, to be the first professional sports competition in the world to be in a position to have our teams play in front of their fans again,” New Zealand Rugby chief Mark Robinson said.
“It’s going to be a very special and unique competition and it’s fitting that New Zealanders now have a chance to be part of it.”
Super Rugby involves New Zealand’s five teams and has been established as a temporary domestic replacement a 10-week domestic competition which also involved teams from Australia, South Africa, Argentina and Japan. The original Super Rugby remained suspended.
While many other sporting competitions around the globe have announced plans to restart, majority will be played either with no crowds or with numbers severely restricted.
New Zealand government on Monday announced it was lifting all domestic restrictions due to the country’s success in containing the virus. While border controls remain in place—preventing Kiwi teams competing internationally—measures such as social distancing will no longer be required.
LA LIGA HOPEFUL
La Liga too is not ruling out the return of fans to stadiums this season. League president Javier Tebas said he is in favour of having fans back as soon as regions are cleared by health authorities, contradicting an earlier message by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez who said it wouldn’t be fair for some clubs to have fans and others not.
“Fans should be back as soon as they are allowed to be back,” Tebas said, adding that he doesn’t think it’s a problem that only some teams would likely benefit. Tebas also confirmed that fans will be able to either watch the original feed from empty stadiums or an alternative one with crowds superimposed on the stands, similar to video games. Tebas said the league had been testing virtual crowds along with video game company EA Sports, which will provide the audio that it uses in its FIFA titles.
The league also said it will use new camera angles as it will be able to move camera locations to positions where they would have previously affected fans’ line of vision. Robotic cameras will be used in the tunnels for health safety reasons.