Uefa threat to pull final at Wembley
BORIS Johnson insists his top priority is keeping the country safe after Uefa bosses threatened to move the Euro 2020 final from London unless 2,000 VIPs are given special access.
The Prime Minister said “sensible accommodations” are being looked at for the July 11 match and the semi-finals.
European football’s governing body wants sponsors, officials and politicians to be allowed to travel to Wembley without having to quarantine if they only travel between the airport, hotel and match venue, as well as arrangements for fans.
Mr Johnson said: “We’ll do what we have to do to keep the country safe from Covid – that’s obviously going to be our priority.
“We’ll be talking to Uefa about what they want and see if we can make some sensible accommodations.
“But the priority obviously has to be public health.”
Uefa sources said “there is always a contingency plan” in place for the competition.
Escorted
Budapest is understood to be the first option if the games are switched, with matches at the Puskas Arena currently being played at 100 per cent capacity.
The final four Euro 2020 matches are due to be played at Wembley in front of crowds of at least 40,000.
Clive Efford, a Labour MP on the digital, culture, media and sport committee, insisted VIPs must not be able to “roam around”.
He said: “If they enter the country they cannot be allowed to move freely without precautions.
“They must be escorted to and from the games and anywhere else they may go.
“I have no objection to special arrangements being made for them to go out to dine and to go sightseeing with strict precautions in place, but they should not be allowed to roam around without restriction.”
A Uefa spokesman said: “We understand the pressures that the Government face and hope to be able to reach a satisfactory conclusion of our discussions on the matter.”