Mourning period impacts fixtures
BRITISH sports governing bodies will continue to assess any possible impact that Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral on September 19 could have on scheduled fixtures and events.
All football fixtures in the UK were postponed this weekend, along with Friday and Saturday’s planned horse racing meetings, as a mark of respect following the monarch’s death on Thursday.
However, many other sporting occasions went ahead. In the Test match between England and South Africa at the Kia Oval, players wore black armbands and there was a rendition of God Save the King.
On day three at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, a two-minute period of silence was held, while there were also tributes ahead of the Betfred Super League Play-Off Eliminator between Huddersfield and Salford as well as Gallagher Premiership matches.
The official mourning guidance, published by the British government on Friday morning, stated there was no obligation on sports organisations to cancel or reschedule events.
As it stands, the scheduled English Football League programme is set to recommence on Tuesday.
However, there may be resourcing issues, particularly in respect of policing, associated with some fixtures which will need to be discussed on a fixture-by-fixture basis.
Millwall are set to play two home games next week, against QPR on Wednesday and Blackpool on Saturday.
The Lions stressed there was currently no obligation for any postponement of fixtures next week and the intention was to fulfil them as scheduled.
In a statement confirming the weekend’s postponements, the Premier League said further updates regarding fixtures during the period of mourning will ‘be provided in due course’.
The next set of Premier League games are on Friday night, when Aston Villa host Southampton and Fulham travel to Nottingham Forest. In London, Tottenham take on Leicester at 5.30pm, while Sunday’s fixtures see Brentford play Arsenal at 2pm while Chelsea are at home to Liverpool in the 4.30pm live broadcast slot.
Discussions with UEFA are ongoing with regard to the scheduled European fixtures next week involving British clubs. Manchester City insist their Champions League game against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday is on.
Arsenal are confident their Europa League fixture against PSV Eindhoven will be played at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday night and Manchester United have confirmed their trip to Sheriff Tiraspol will go ahead as scheduled.
The opening round of Gallagher Premiership fixtures did take place, with both games which were set for Friday evening pushed back into the weekend.
There will be no racing in Britain on the day of the Queen’s funeral.
The British Horseracing Authority confirmed on Saturday evening that the September 19 meetings scheduled for Hamilton, Leicester, Warwick and Wolverhampton will be cancelled as a mark of respect.