British govt hails start of sporting recovery

LONDON: “The British sporting recovery has begun” the UK government proclaimed as it approved the return of domestic competitive action behind closed doors from June 1.

Major professional competitions have been shut down since March because of the coronavirus.

But with much of the country still in effective lockdown, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Oliver Dowden, told a Downing Street news conference on Saturday: “For more than two months after sport stopped and after weeks of round-the-clock discussions with medical experts and professional sports bodies, I’m delighted to announce today that the government has published guidance which allows competitive sport to resume behind closed doors from Monday (June 1) at the earliest.”

Horse racing is set to be the first major sport back in action at Newcastle on Monday, with the first Classic meeting of the season, featuring the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, on June 6.

“The British sporting recovery has begun,” said Dowden.

Saturday’s guidance, drawn up with clinicians and governing bodies, forms the third stage of British sport’s return from lockdown.

Stage two, which allowed for close-contact and competitive training for elite athletes, was published last Monday.

It will now be up to individual sports to carry out their own risk assessments, with Dowden saying they “know their sport best”.

As well as ensuring no spectators are present, sports bodies must ensure everyone entering a venue is screened for the coronavirus and anyone suspected of having COVID-19 must be placed in isolation.

Movement channels will be established, while social distancing must be maintained “where possible”, with players warned against physical contact celebrations with their teammates.

Premier League football is scheduled to restart on June 17.

Dowden, acknowledging football’s “special place in our national life”, had previously for Premier League matches to be shown on free-to-air networks if the season resumed.

“I’m glad to confirm today that a third of matches to finish the season will now be free to view including the Liverpool v Everton derby and live Premier League football will be on the BBC for the first time in its history,” he said.

“I can now make it official: football is coming back.”

Confusion surrounds which fixtures, if any, will be played at neutral venues after different

— AFP — AFP photo Supporters of Mezokovesd cheer their team during the national championship’s football match between DVTK and Mezokovesd in the DVTK stadium of Miskolc town, Hungary. Hungarian spectators will from this weekend fill the stands of the country’s football stadiums - a first in Europe where the resumption of several national championships was done behind closed doors.

Photo Britain’s new Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England Jonathan Van-Tam (L) speaks as Dowden (R) listens at a remote press conference to update the nation on the COVID-19 pandemic, inside 10 Downing Street in central London.