Forum Topic

A planned and cautious return for sport

So which events could we be able to watch over the next couple of months? 1 June: A horse racing meeting at Newcastle and Snooker’s Championship League event in Milton Keynes among the first to resume 17 June: Premier League football matches are set to restart with Aston Villa v Sheffield United and Manchester City v Arsenal 26 June: The ‘Battle of the Brits’ tennis event between the nation’s leading men’s players, including Andy and Jamie Murray 8 July: England's three-Test cricket series against West Indies is set to start on 8 July 22 July: Golf’s European Tour season is set to resume in July with a six-week 'UK Swing' tournament Late July/early August: A British Grand Prix double-header at Silverstone Some sports starting next Monday? It does not seem that cautious, and wonder how well planned, it all is.  Social distancing in snooker is perhaps possible.  But for horse racing and football?  Although they talk about sports behind behind closed doors, how do the jockeys and players practice social distancing while racing/playing?  Of course they do not, so, in these cases, social distancing does not apply apparently, though the PM yesterday and Oliver Dowden today stressed the paramount importance of social distancing. Am I being difficult?  Absolutely, but I do not think I am all that incorrect. Today, in response to Chris Mason's question,  Van-Tam says: "The easing of social distancing, the easing of lockdown has to go slowly ... painstakingly. The scientists will continue to give that advice to the government, no apologies for that. "I believe this is also a very dangerous moment. We have to get this right. "Contact tracing has got to go well but the public has got to engage with it." Hmmmmm

Ivonne Holliday ● 2138d3 Comments

It's possible to safely hold all these events - isolate the participants and repeatedly test them. What is NOT safe is mass public audiences for them. So watch them on telly.The disease itself can be nasty even for a fit young person. We don't know much about this virus - maybe it hides away in the body like HIV or shingles to come out years later and do yet worse things.But the main thing about catching it is you pass it on potentially and along the transmission chain you create, people die. You will never know who. I can do without live sport on that basis.

Michael Winstanley ● 2138d

I agree Bunny with your views about our responsibility of protecting ourselves but it is also true that the means to do so is by following the rules. What surprised me today, as it did on that Sunday when Johnson told everybody who had to go back to work to do so the following day, was that sporting events would commence this coming Monday! The sports that have been mentioned are of course horse racing, football and rugby among others.  I really cannot see how the jockeys and players can put social distancing into practice when taking part in their sports. And Professor Van Tam was very categorical today — the rules are there to protect us and they apply to all.

Ivonne Holliday ● 2138d

I think it's up to each of us to protect ourselves.  Personally I wouldn't go near anybody just now.  I get this feeling that people are concentrating too much on the "rules" rather than taking personal responsibility.It would be awful for people like jockeys to feel they have to go back and engage.

Bunny Payne ● 2138d