FURY AT ‘CATASTROPHIC’ BAN ON MIXING TO PLAY INDOOR SPORTS

SPORTS leaders have reacted with anger after it emerged that half of adults in England are now banned from playing indoor sport The Government clarified yesterday that adults living in Tier 2 and Tier 3 areas, signifying higher rates of Covid infection, are not allowed to play sport indoors with people from different households Children and disabled people are exempt, but in the strictest Tier 3 areas, gyms and leisure centres have been closed With London among the areas moving into Tier 2 from tomorrow, more than 50 per cent of England’s population will be in Tier 2 or 3 Leaders of the country’s biggest indoor sports are questioning inconsistencies in the Government’s guidance, particularly as indoor group exercise classes have been allowed to continue Badminton England chief executive Adrian Christy told Sportsmail: ‘Thirty strangers can stand in a sports hall doing a Zumba class, but I can’t stand on the other side of the net from somebody in my club and play badminton? ‘We are crying out for Government to understand the science My fear is that it will cause irrecoverable damage to grassroots sport. ’

The Lawn Tennis Association has asked the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to change the guidance An LTA spokesman told Sportsmail: ‘This could have a catastrophic effect on indoor tennis centres, which are already struggling ‘It is vital the Government urgently considers a review of the restrictions ’ The heads of basketball, netball and volleyball have also told Sportsmail they will make a joint approach to the Government Indoor team sports matches were already ended by the rule of six, but now teams in high-risk areas will not even be able to train