Grand National is a faller

THE Grand National was cancelled last night as the coronavirus pandemic claimed more sport. Rugby league, rugby union and football’s National League were also postponed indefinitely.

National was due to be run at Aintree on April 4. But the Jockey Club said it was “no longer a viable consideration.” Senior steward Sandy Dudgeon (inset) said: “Very sadly these are exceptional times and this is the responsible thing to do.” The only good news is that some racing will carry

on, although spectators will be banned from all British courses from today.

The sport will continue behind closed doors until the end of March at the earliest, although officials said some more meetings are likely to be cancelled.

The decision to halt RL matches, with no resumption before April 3, sparked fears that the game could be left in ruins.

St Helens chairman Eamonn Mcmanus said: “There are huge financial implications. The very existence of our sport is on the line.”

Asked if the game was at crisis point, Mcmanus said: “It absolutely is. There is no point in hiding away from that. This is open-ended. No-one knows the full extent of it.”

A joint statement from Super League boss Robert Elstone and RFL chief Ralph Rimmer said: “These are unprecedented times. They present significant financial and commercial implications for Rugby League.”

As for football’s lower tiers, the National League has suspended matches until at least April 3, and the FA says that all grassroots football in England is postponed.

A National League spokesman said the body had, “decided to use its best endeavours to keep its season going in the face of unprecedented adversity.

“However, with the coronavirus reaching pandemic levels it has to accept that the situation is now out of its control.

“In the knowledge of the Government measures now announced it is clearly not practical for its fixtures to be fulfilled in the immediate future.”

Rugby union’s Premiership is off for five weeks and all the European quarter-finals postponed.