All competitive sport in Britain has been given the green light by the government to resume from 1 June behind closed doors and only when it is safe to do so. However, the British government has outlined strict conditions that have to be met.
No competitive top-level sport has taken place in Britain since March. This as the country deals with the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 38 000 people in the United Kingdom.
In a published document, the country’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has outlined the strict criteria that must be met to allow elite athletes and professional sportsmen to resume.
The government’s three-stage guidance for staging competitive sporting events includes conditions such as athletes travelling alone to venues. Athletes will also be screened for COVID-19 symptoms and will have to also maintain social distancing where possible.
UK Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden says the guidelines outline various measures that need to be in place for an event to go ahead.
“Now the guidance outlines various measures that need to be in place for an event to go ahead and to keep everyone involved safe. That includes a screening process for coronavirus symptoms at the venue, a one-way system for people in vehicles, minimising the use of dressing rooms and of course maintaining social distancing wherever that is possible.”
Dowden has also confirmed that the government was relaxing rules on all forms of exercise by allowing up to five people from different households to train together from 1 June. However, it is up to each individual sport to decide exactly when to restart.
Meanwhile, Spain’s top-flight football league, La Liga, will resume after a three-month pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic on the 11 June with the local derby between Sevilla and Real Betis. This was confirmed by the country’s department of Sport in a statement, which further added the season will finish by 19 July, depending on the evolution of the pandemic.
La Liga will be the second of Europe’s top five leagues to resume action following Germany’s Bundesliga starting up earlier in May. This after the pandemic paralysed all major sporting competitions around the world in March.
England’s Premier League will recommence on 17 June while Italy’s Serie A is set to continue on 20 June.
France’s Ligue 1 was cancelled in April with Paris St Germain declared champions.
