GAME OVER Coronavirus crisis devastates sport in Ireland and all over the world...
...but Cheltenham carries on regardless
IRISH sport officially went into lockdown yesterday on the back of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s special orders to combat the coronavirus crisis with sport across the globe devastated by the rapid spread of Covid-19. Speaking from the United States, the Taoiseach recommended a cancellation of all gatherings of more than 100 people indoors and outdoor gatherings of more than 500, with the three biggest sporting institutions on this island – the GAA, FAI and IRFU – all agreeing on a blanket ban of all events, at all levels, until March 29. Many more organisations followed suit yesterday. Yet, as sport got in line with extreme measures to cope with the crisis, thousands of racegoers were preparing to flood Cheltenham festival for the fourth day in a row as the UK government refused to suspend the event despite mounting fury over the threat posed by having such large crowds in close proximity after Covid-19 had been detected in the area. Thousands of those race fans will be returning to Ireland today and tomorrow with fears they may accentuate the spead of the virus. Like Cheltenham, the Premier League was not called off yesterday but there will be an emergency meeting this morning after Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was confirmed to have contracted the virus, with his team immediately going into isolation. The financial ramifications of the shutdown in Ireland will only become apparent over time but sport across the board is poised to take a massive hit while there are also health concerns, particularly with regards to children. Active participation in sport is seen as a vital means of counteracting the growing child obesity
problem in the country but, with the cancellation of all underage training and matches, there are fears for the knock-on effects on youth fitness.
GAELIC GAMES
THE GAA have called a halt to all training and games, at all levels, effective as of last night.
The halting of all hurling and gaelic football activity will have a significant impact on the concluding rounds and finals of the Allianz Leagues, in football and hurling. The Allianz Hurling League Division 1 final and Allianz Football League finals were set to take place across the weekend of March 28/29. The ban includes all clubs games and training.
A statement from the association read: ‘In light of this morning’s Government announcement, the GAA, An Cumann Camógaíochta and the Ladies Gaelic Football Association have decided to suspend all activity at club, county and educational levels until March 29 (inclusive) from midnight.
‘This is to include all games, training and team gatherings at all ages and all grades.’
FOOTBALL
THE FAI followed suit by confirming all soccer activity will be halted here until March 29.
‘The Football Association of Ireland announces the cessation of all football under its jurisdiction until March 29 inclusive, and with immediate effect following directives from Government, the Department of Health and Uefa.’ read a statement.
‘The FAI made this decision after a meeting in Dublin today with Government, the Department of Health and stakeholders from other national sporting bodies.’
The Republic of Ireland’s Euro 2020 play-off against Slovakia on March 26 now looks under major threat after the Slovak FA wrote to UEFA requesting the crunch clash in Bratislava be postponed.
The game was already set to take place behind closed doors in the newly-redeveloped Tehelné pole stadium, but the game w be rescheduled for a later date.
In a worrying development, tournament chiefs are believed to be exploring the option of shortening the tournament by scrapping play-off qualification, a move which would spell disaster for Ireland.
Mick McCarthy was set to name his squad for the looming encounter this afternoon but the FAI cancelled that squad announcement press conference yesterday.
UEFA, European football’s governing body, will also give major consideration to delaying this summer’s Euro 2020 tournament until next year.
The organisation has a meeting of its 55 member associations next week to discuss options for all its competitions, including the Champions League, Europa League and Euros. It is understood all possibilities, including moving the Euros or changing its format, will be considered.
The United Kingdom have yet to follow Ireland’s lead with the Premier League given the green light to press ahead, for now.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the country is now moving into the next stage of its planning combat the spread of coronavirus. That could include cancelling large gatherings in the near future, although the main reason for doing that would be to ease the burden on public services.
Speaking alongside Mr Johnson, Patrick Vallance, the British government’s chief scientific adviser, offered a further explanation of why stopping big events would not necessarily work.
He said: ‘On average, one person infects two or three others.
‘You therefore have a very low probability of infecting a large number of people in a stadium and a rather higher probability of infecting people very close.’
However, the news that Arsenal are in isolation after manager Mikel Arteta contracted the virus heightens the need for action while Leicester City have confirmed three of their players are in self-isolation on medical advice from the British health service — the NHS — after showing ‘symptoms consistent with common seasonal illness’.
A host of Champions League games have already taken lace behind closed doors while Manchester City’s clash Real Madrid and Juventus meeting with Lyon have been postponed.
Similarly, a number of Scottish sporting events are set to be postponed or played behind closed doors following an announcement by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon that she would recommend the cancellation of gatherings of more than 500 people from Monday.
That would mean Sunday’s Old Firm clash between Rangers and Celtic in the Scottish Premiership could go ahead as planned.
Real Madrid’s players had been quarantined as a precautionary measure after a member of the club’s basketball team tested positive for coronavirus. Last night, Juventus announced their player Daniele Rugani had contracted the virus.
There has been a widespread backlash among the public as Cheltenham, which is hosting 60,000 racegoers daily, is set to reach its conclusion today, despite almost 600 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the UK.
RUGBY
ALL RUGBY action in Ireland will cease as of today with Pro14 chiefs postponing all league games indefinitely.
In the wake of yesterday’s developments here and with Bennetton and Zebre - the two Italian sides in the tournament - curto
‘On average, one person infects two or three others’
‘Calling off the Olympics is unthinkable’
rently under travel restrictions, the decision was made to call a halt to the league.
Leinster are currently unbeaten after 13 rounds in the competitions while Munster, Ulster and Connacht are all in the hunt for the play-offs, but it remains to be seen when the Pro14 will resume.
‘We have made this decision with everyone’s welfare foremost in our minds, said Pro14 tournament director David Jordan yesterday.
That announcement arrived after the IRFU — following government advice — had agreed to cease all competitive action in the country until March 29.
All domestic action, including the All-Ireland League and schools rugby — has been suspended until the end of the month. While Rugby Clubs may wish to continue to operate facilities such as bars and function rooms, they must observe Government restrictions in relation to the number of people that may attend indoor (no more than 100 people) and outdoor (no more than 500 people) events,’ read a statement.
The Ireland senior team, as well as the women’s and U20 sides, were already affected with their final two Six Nations meetings with Italy and France postponed in recent weeks.
Six Nations chiefs have promised to rescheduled those championship fixtures with Andy Farrell’s squad set to face the Azzurri in the Aviva and France in Paris later this year, with October the most likely date, prior to the autumn internationals.
The Cardiff meeting between Wales and Scotland is the only Six Nations game that is going ahead this weekend after Ireland’s clash with Les Bleus and England’s game against Italy both fell victim to the coronavirus.
RACING
YESTERDAY, Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) confirmed all race meetings in Ireland will be run behind closed doors until March 29 due to the virus outbreak.
Brian Kavanagh, HRI chief executive, said: ‘Public health is the number one priority and these restrictions will continue to be kept under constant review. The restrictions will limit social interaction but will allow a vital rural industry to continue to operate, protecting livelihoods and jobs.’
Irish greyhound racing is also set to go behind closed doors
OLYMPICS
DONALD TRUMP has called for Tokyo 2020 to be postponed by a year — on the same day the Olympic torch was lit without spectators in Greece.
The US president is the first world leader to advise a delay to the Olympics, saying: ‘I like that better than having empty stadiums. Make it a year later — that’s a better alternative than doing it with no crowd.’
Tokyo city governor Yuriko
Koike yesterday said cancelling the Olympics is ‘unthinkable’, but members of the Tokyo 2020 organising committee will raise the issue of postponing the Games at their next board meeting later this month. A statement from the International Olympic Committee reaffirmed its commitment to the 2020 Games going ahead as scheduled.
GOLF
THE PGA Tour will continue for the next four weeks without spectators, beginning at the Players Championship today, and begging the question: will the Masters now follow suit next month?
Commissioner Jay Monahan took the decision to keep out 200,000 spectators from this current event alone, following discussions with US President, Donald Trump. The ban takes in events up to the season’s first major, and Monahan revealed he had been in discussions with the Masters authorities on pos.
BOXING
MICHAEL CONLAN’S St Patrick’s Day bout with Belmar
Preciado will take place behind closed doors New York with spectators banned from attending Madison Square Garden.
Despite the increased uncertainty over this summer’s Olympic Games, the European boxing qualifying tournament is due to start tomorrow in London’s Copper Box Arena.
A team of 13 Irish boxers - eight male and five female - will compete for 77 Olympic places (50 for men and 27 for women).
There will be 43 European nations represented in London but there remains surprise that it is going ahead, as scheduled, especially as the American qualifying tournament, that was due to take place in Buenos Aires later this month, has already been postponed because of fears over covid-19.
CRICKET
CRICKET IRELAND have postponed all their training sessions until March 29 before deciding whether to proceed with their tour of Zimbabwe.
TENNIS
ALL men’s games will be suspended for the next six weeks, wiping out prestigious events such as this month’s Miami Open and next month’s Monte Carlo Open. Events on the ATP main tour and lower-tier Challenger tour will be cancelled up until April 27 at the earliest.
FORMULA ONA
THE Australian Grand Prix, due to take place in Melbourne this Sunday is cancelled. The decision was taken after a member of the McLaren team tested positive for the virus, with the team pulling out of the race.