Plans to bring fans back to stadiums from October 1 have now been “paused”
Michael Gove has confirmed plans for fans to return to stadiums to watch live sport events in England will not go ahead.
It had been hoped that limited numbers of supporters would be allowed back into stadiums from October 1, but plans were placed under review earlier in September after it emerged the number of coronavirus cases had risen.
In an interview with BBC Breakfast, the cabinet office minister explained that for now, the plans for a staged return of fans would have to be postponed.
“We were looking at a staged programme of more people returning,” Gove said. “It wasn’t going to be the case that we were going to have stadiums thronged with fans.
“We’re looking at how we can, for the moment, pause that programme, but what we do want to do is to make sure that, as and when circumstances allow, we get more people back.
“The virus is less likely to spread outdoors than indoors but again it’s in the nature of major sporting events that there’s a lot of mingling.”
"We're looking at how we can pause that programme"
Michael Gove MP reveals on #BBCBreakfast the government are planning to postpone the return of fans to sporting events, which was due to start on 1st October.https://t.co/DffEzO8ap4 pic.twitter.com/1AKI74yMfv— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) September 22, 2020
Over six months have passed since full crowds were permitted to attend sporting events in England, shortly before the country was locked down. Liverpool’s Champions League last 16 meeting with Atletico Madrid at Anfield was one of the final football games to be played, with the city experiencing a surge in coronavirus cases soon after.
“People look back now at the beginning of the pandemic at some of the major sporting events then and ask the question why were they allowed to go ahead,” Gove added.
“What we must do is look at sporting events now with caution but we also recognise that sport is a vital part of this nation and we’re looking at everything we can do to support our athletes, our great clubs, through what will be a challenging time.”
