Sports chiefs say Government talks ‘chaotic’

Two sporting figures who attended crisis talks with the Government on Monday have admitted they are more concerned than ever after the coronavirus threat was laid bare at a “chaotic” summit.

One governing body source told The Daily Telegraph that officials were not reassured because there were “too many people” around the table with competing interests.

Another person at the confidential Whitehall meeting added: “There was no clear timetable set out and we still have unanswered questions.”

British sporting leaders are particularly worried about the impact on lower-league football clubs and charitable causes. Loss of stadium revenue could immediately force lower-league clubs out of business, The Telegraph disclosed last week.

A total of 373 people have now tested positive in the UK, with six deaths, and Jenny Harries, the deputy chief medical officer, now says “many thousands” will be infected here in due course.

On Monday, the Government told the Football Association, Rugby Football Union, UK Sport and the England and Wales Cricket Board that ministers would resist rushing into cancelling sporting events without scientific basis. However, pressure increased again yesterday after medical chiefs warned the virus threat would peak within a fortnight.

The Government insists the meeting was productive, and other people in the meeting agreed that a useful dialogue had begun.

Despite a huge surge in infection numbers, it was suggested to sporting bodies that the Government needed to consider the evidence of a so-called doughnut effect around sport, including at pubs and transport networks.

There was no discussion around football’s 3pm Saturday broadcast blackout being lifted, but other implications being considered by the Government include the possibility that pubs should stop showing live matches to avoid causing large gatherings.

Jonathan Van-tam, also the deputy chief medical officer, is said to have expressed concern that there was even more risk of the virus spreading in packed pubs than in open-air stadiums.