Fans ... and everything
New Zealand rugby returns to normal
They call one section of the stadium The Zoo, and it’s easy to see why: thousands of university students in team colors standing on their seats, steadying trays of beer, swaying to music and erupting with joy when their team scores.
“Craziness,” is how 20year-old student Charlotte Power described the scene. “Dancing, partying. Hopefully no fights.”
New Zealand on Saturday became one of the first nations in the world to welcome hordes of fans back into a packed sports stadium, thanks to the country’s remarkable success in eliminating the coronavirus.
As countries try to reopen after lockdowns, the evening rugby match marked a milestone of sorts, and its importance wasn’t lost on fans.
After instituting a strict lockdown in March, New Zealand has not reported any new cases of the coronavirus for more than three weeks, and says all those who contracted the disease have now recovered. Earlier in the week, the country removed just about every remaining virus restriction, with the notable exception of keeping the border closed.
That meant there were no masks or social distancing required when more than 20,000 fans poured into the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin to watch Saturday’s match between the local Highlanders and the Chiefs, who had traveled from Hamilton.
“It’s massive,” the country’s sports minister, Grant Robertson, said on the sidelines. “It’s a world first and it’s a payoff for all the hard work of 5 million New Zealanders.”
Robertson said he’s been fielding calls from India and beyond from people curious to know how professional sports can proceed without virus restrictions. He said there’s something special about being at a game.
“Anyone who’s a fan of live sport or even live music knows that if you’re there, it’s totally different,” he said.
For fan Iki Uele , it was a pleasure just seeing all the people.
“Everyone has been dying for this moment,” he said. “Being locked down, we just needed something to vent out.”
Uele said he did have concerns that somebody in the crowd might have the virus without knowing it. But he was willing to take the chance.
German exchange student Johanna Lindner said she’d never watched a rugby match before, and people back home were both curious and perhaps a little envious.
“It’s a great opportunity to socialize again,” she said. “To bring the country together since New Zealand is turning into one bubble. I think it’s really important to lift people’s mood a little bit.”
NO FANS, EXCEPT ON FIELD
At a Spanish league match in which spectators were banned, a man ran on to the pitch and briefly delayed Mallorca vs. Barcelona on Saturday.
Televised images showed the man walk on to the field and take a photo of himself with his mobile phone a few meters in front of Barcelona defender Jordi Alba.
It is unclear if the young man, who was wearing an Argentina soccer shirt, the national team led by Lionel Messi, approached other players before he was escorted off by security.
Second-half play quickly resumed at San Moix Stadium. Barcelona won, 4-0.
Spectators are barred from the matches in line with health measures to reduce the risks of transmitting the COVID-19 virus.