Sport Pilots To Be Reduced In Capacity To 1,000 People Socially Distanced

The government is to reduce the number of people that can attend sporting events to pilot the safe return of spectators to 1,000 in light of the increase in the number of positive coronavirus cases.

All pilots with larger audiences will be reviewed in light of transmission rates and risk to decide if they are safe to go ahead
Government will keep under review whether fans will be able to return to sports stadia from 1 October and if people can attend socially distanced business conferences and events
Sports pilots will not be able to take place in areas that have high coronavirus incidence rates

The government is to reduce the number of people that can attend sporting events to pilot the safe return of spectators to 1,000 in light of the increase in the number of positive coronavirus cases.

While a number of successful pilots have already been held in football, rugby, cricket and snooker given the overall national Covid situation pilots will now be limited in number.

The change will come into effect from tomorrow for all sports pilots due to happen this month.

The government will also make a decision on whether fans can return to sports stadia socially distanced on 1 October and if people will be able to attend business conferences and events from that date.

Organised grassroots sport will be able to continue in a covid-secure way to help people stay fit and healthy. This includes organised team sports, Parkrun and exercise classes in gyms and leisure centres.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said:

"In light of increasing transmission rates, the Government is reviewing the proposed sports and business events pilots ahead of the 1 October and we will unfortunately need to scale some back.

"We know fans and audiences are eager to return, and jobs depend on this too, so work continues around the clock on the moonshot project with the ambition of having audiences back much closer to normal by Christmas, if safe to do so."