Fury at ‘joke’ Government ruling after sport lockdown is extended

Johnson is warned of further health risks and huge job losses Cricket in battle while gyms and swimming pools stay shut

Boris Johnson’s decision to reopen pubs, bingo halls and cinemas before the return of club cricket, swimming pools, gyms and leisure centres last night provoked a furious backlash across sport, with the Government accused of risking “further unnecessary damage to the health of the nation”.

The Prime Minister’s latest lockdown announcement prompted Swim England to immediately launch a national campaign to “Open Our Pools”, while Badminton England labelled the decisionmaking “a joke”.

Olympic swimming gold medallist Adam Peaty said it was “mad” for shops to be open but not leisure centres and questioned “how much tax will be taken” by opening pubs from July 4. Ukactive, which represents more than 7,000 leisure facilities, warned that further delays beyond a new aim of mid-july would have “grave economic consequences”, including the potential loss of 2,800 facilities and more than 100,000 jobs

Frantic talks were taking place last night between the England and Wales Cricket Board and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport as the game reacted with shock and anger to Johnson saying in parliament it could not return because the ball is a “vector of disease”. This is despite tennis, including doubles, having been allowed with shared balls and people from different households since the start of this month. Johnson did later say he was personally looking forward to the return of village cricket and stressed that it was among the activities that could soon follow.

Leagues around the country had contacted clubs and warned them to start preparing grounds for a resumption after July 4.

The ECB was confident it had done enough to show cricket was safe, with steps such as banning saliva on the ball, and will now deliver more detailed plans about how the sport can return with six or eight-a-side matches. Junior cricket is likely to return first, and the ECB is confident of reversing government policy within a fortnight.

Adrian Christy, the Badminton England chief executive, said “four million badminton players will rightly feel hugely let down” and, following weeks of consultation and guidance over how indoor sports could resume, said he was “bewildered” by the situation.

“Surely after weeks of lockdown we should be taking every step possible to ensure the nation has whatever opportunity it wishes to resume a healthy lifestyle. Instead, let’s fill beer gardens and fast-food restaurants. This Government’s decision threatens the health of more than 13 million people who are active every week.”

The Daily Telegraph revealed mounting fears last week that hundreds of leisure centres and swimming pools would go bust and Sport England has now confirmed that a leisure trust in Peterborough has collapsed.

There is particular concern at the impact on existing health inequalities and groups who are limited on what exercise they can do outside. Many elderly people, for example, rely on swimming as their main activity and Swim England chief executive Jane Nickerson said the UK’S 14 million swimmers had been “let down” by the Government.

“This is a real and growing risk, with public leisure providers a particularly deep concern because so many of those operators provide activities for disadvantaged groups,” said Sport England chair Nick Bitel. “These include those being disproportionately affected by the impact of Covid-19 like older adults, women, black, Asian and minority ethnic people, people from lower socio-economic groups and people with disabilities and long-term health conditions, while public pools are vital for helping young people learn how to swim.”

Ed Warner, the former chair of UK Athletics and now chair of Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby, told The

Telegraph that “the Government risked further unnecessary damage to the health of the nation” by not reopening indoor facilities.

“Socially distanced outdoor exercise is not possible for all,” he said. “I’m particularly concerned about our wheelchair rugby players, many of whom live with severe physical impairments and enjoy the sport as a cornerstone of their lives, ensuring their physical and mental well-being.”

Lisa Wainwright, chief executive of the Sport and Recreation Alliance, warned that there was now a real “danger of losing the very ability to support the health and well-being of the nation at this crucial time”.

In his statement yesterday, Johnson announced that pubs, restaurants, hairdressers, hotels and campsites could all reopen on July 4, as could outdoor gyms, playgrounds and some social and community clubs. However, what were deemed “close proximity venues”, including indoor gyms, swimming pools and spas, were told they must wait.

Instead, the Government will set up task forces with public health experts “to help them become Covid secure and reopen as soon as possible”. Johnson stressed he “could not lift all the restrictions at once” and said that meant taking “difficult judgments”.

Culture secretary Oliver Dowden issued a further update in which he acknowledged that many people were “keen to hit the gym”. He added that, subject to public health, the Government’s aspiration would be to reopen gyms and leisure facilities in the middle of July.

Huw Edwards, the chief executive of Ukactive, said gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools had provided “comprehensive health and safety plans” and were ready.

A series of “test sites” have already been developed to show how they could work with spacing between fitness equipment, additional hygiene measures and reduced numbers in gyms, fitness studios and swimming pools.

Edwards said it was “irresponsible” for the Government to prioritise pubs and restaurants over fitness facilities during a health crisis.