By David Williams
Welsh sports clubs hoping to get fans back into their stadiums will have to wait whilst the Welsh Government assesses the plans announced in England.
Football and rugby clubs across Wales have been denied any gate income – and a match day atmosphere – since March when the gates were closed due to the pandemic.
But in England, officials have welcomed the UK Government’s decision to allow a limited number of spectators back into venues in lower-risk areas when their second lockdown ends next week.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has outlined plans for a return to a regionalised tier system from December 2 to combat the spread of coronavirus.
With both sport and public health devolved matters, the Welsh Government plans to consider the stadia question as part of it overall plans for the Christmas and New Year period after fully examining the impact of the recent “firebreak” restrictions.
Until Welsh plans are announced, it could mean Cardiff City, Swansea City and Newport County playing away matches in front of small crowds but having no fans at home matches.
Across the border, outdoor venues in tier one areas – those considered lowest risk – will be permitted to admit up to 4,000 spectators to an event or allow 50 per cent capacity, whichever is lower.
Outdoor venues in tier two would be permitted to admit up to 2,000 fans or 50 per cent capacity, whichever is lower, while the caps were 2,000 and 1,000 respectively for indoor venues in tiers one and two.
The English Football League, whose clubs have been hit hard by the loss of matchday revenue since March, led the way in welcoming the decision.
“Whilst today’s news is subject to regional restrictions, it is an important step in achieving a return to normal, alongside it being crucial to addressing the significant revenue gap left by a lack of spectators and other revenue streams as a result of the pandemic,” a statement from the league read.
Clarity is expected over which areas will be placed into the respective tiers on Thursday.
Spectators had been set to return to sports venues on a limited, socially distanced basis from October 1, with venues preparing to go as high as one-third of full capacity.
However, a rise in coronavirus infections led the UK Government to pause those plans, with hopes receding still further when England entered a second national lockdown earlier this month amid fears the NHS could be overwhelmed by Covid-19 cases.
The Premier League is also pleased to see the return of fans, but urged the Government to work on pilot events to increase capacities still further.
“Fans have been greatly missed at Premier League matches and therefore we welcome the Prime Minister’s announcement today regarding the return of supporters for the first time since March, albeit at small numbers,” a statement read.
“Our ambition remains to work with Government to increase attendance to more substantial levels. Until this can be done, many fans will be unable to attend games and our clubs will continue to operate matches at a financial loss.
“Our priority continues to be the agreement of a roadmap, with DCMS and the Sports Technology and Innovation Group, for pilot events that can help our clubs quickly scale up to larger capacities in line with the Sports Ground Safety Authority’s COVID-secure guidelines and beyond.
“Premier League clubs have a proven track record of achieving high-biosecurity standards and we believe we can play a significant role in the Government’s rapid turnaround testing initiative. We look forward to working with Government on their next steps.”
Sport savours its re-emergence after lockdown, with fans coming back, the resumption of grassroots activity, & reopening of indoor facilities.
But there’s a long way to go before normality returns.
My @BBCNews at 6 report, featuring @RobbieSavage8 @BeckAdlington @WeAreTheFSA pic.twitter.com/zeF65Sfr6D— Dan Roan (@danroan) November 23, 2020
Venues in the highest-risk tier-three areas will still not be allowed to permit spectators, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said.
Despite that, Premiership Rugby chief executive Darren Childs joined the EFL in viewing the news as a positive step.
His organisation is set to receive £59million in Government support to cover matchday losses as part of the Winter Survival Package for sports.
“Our clubs have proved that when it is safe to do so they can bring fans back safely, with very successful pilot events at Harlequins and Gloucester Rugby,” Childs said.
“We won’t know the exact impact on our clubs until the tiers are announced on Thursday, so my team stands ready to work with Government to tackle the challenges of fan attendance in a way that minimises health risks.”
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