The government has unveiled the third stage of its guidance to allow competitive sport to resume behind closed doors in England on June 1 – which has given the go-ahead for competitive action to return after a three-month wait.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden fronted the daily coronavirus briefing on Saturday afternoon, and outlined the specific steps that must be taken to allow events to be hosted starting from next month.
The first major sporting showpiece to return is expected to be the 2000 Guineas Stakes at Newmarket on June 6 – and the race will also be shown on free-to-air television.
The government has given the green light for competitive sport to return in England in June
The guidelines were developed alongside the Deputy Chief Medical Officers of England, Public Health England and medical representatives from Olympic, Paralympic and other sporting governing bodies.
It was also confirmed that no spectators will be allowed at events for the foreseeable future due to the pandemic.
The Premier League was indefinitely suspended in April in light of the health emergency, but a concrete date of June 17 was revealed for the top flight’s return earlier this week.
Manchester City are set to play Arsenal and Aston Villa will take on Sheffield United in the top flight’s hotly-anticipated curtain raisers.
The first event to return is expected to be the 2000 Guineas Stakes at Newmarket on June 6
The Premier League will restart on June 17 after a three-month suspension due to coronavirus
The government has held discussions with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and Public Health England to ensure the safe return of elite football – and EFL action is also expected to return later in June.
As outlined in the briefing, sporting bodies will be expected to follow a number of conditions.
Athletes, support staff, officials and the media will travel individually to events where possible, and they will be screened for coronavirus symptoms before entering venues.
A number of players in the Bundesliga have received warnings for failing to socially distance from team-mates during games, and players across every sport in England will subjected to similar rules.
The guidance, released weeks before the Premier League’s restart, lists conditions to follow
The preparation for competitive fixtures will also be carefully monitored, with sports stars expected to minimise time in their dressing rooms.
Covid-19 officers will also introduced for organisations and teams to manage those with suspected or confirmed symptoms of the disease.
Mr Dowden said: ‘The wait is over. Live British sport will shortly be back on in safe and carefully controlled environments.
‘This guidance provides the safe framework for sports to resume competitions behind closed doors. It is now up to individual sports to confirm they can meet these protocols and decide when it’s right for them to restart.
Football clubs in England resumed contact training after Phase Two of Project Restart began
‘This is a significant moment for British sport. By working with clinicians every step of the way, we are creating the safest possible environments for everyone involved.’
The guidance, published after yet another key week for Project Restart, will allow English football to complete its season.
Despite the agreement that the campaign would return in just a matter of weeks, the proposals were awaiting the green light from the DCMS and the government.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has said: ‘The Premier League welcomes the Government’s announcement today (Saturday). All major sports, including the Premier League, have been working together with the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to produce this Stage Three protocol.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters expressed his delight with the announcement
‘We could not have reached this point without the full support of the Government, especially DCMS, Public Health England and the Chief Medical Officer’s team.
‘We have provisionally planned to restart the Premier League on 17 June, but there is still much work to be done to ensure the safety of everyone involved. This includes consulting with our clubs, players and managers – along with all our other stakeholders – as the health and welfare of our participants and supporters is our priority.
‘If all goes well, we will be thrilled to resume the 2019-20 season in just over two weeks’ time.’
Earlier this month, a document was released which allowed each sport to make risk assessments on when it would be safe to return to training amid the pandemic.
Players across both the Premier League and EFL are also regularly tested for coronavirus
Football teams in England recently resumed contact training after Phase Two of Project Restart was given the green light, and regular coronavirus testing rounds have been carried out as the resumption of sport edges ever closer.
The government, as part of its second stage of advice, proposed a deep cleaning of facilities as well as regular screenings of athletes and staff.
Those involved in playing or coaching sport will also be expected to undertake one-to-one check ins before organised training.
These talks will ensure that they understand the risks involved with playing again, as well as discover whether they are physically and mentally well enough to proceed.