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'The wait is over': Government gives green light for competitive sport return behind closed doors
The Government finally signalled the start of the British sporting summer on Saturday night with horse racing and snooker given the go-ahead to resume on Monday.
The Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, delivered the news sports fans had been waiting 10 weeks to hear when he announced the strict conditions under which elite athletes and professional sportsmen and women may resume competitive sport behind closed doors from Monday.
Racing will return in a bumper programme at Newcastle with Champions League snooker, featuring Ronnie O'Sullivan and world No1 Judd Trump, scheduled for Milton Keynes. It also means Premier League football is clear to return on June 17th, with major sports such as cricket and rugby union set to follow as restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic are eased.
“The wait is over,” said Dowden. “Live British sport will shortly be back in safe and carefully controlled environments. 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.”
Frankie Dettori, one of the biggest names in sport, welcomed racing’s return. “It’s great news,” he said. “I think the BHA and everyone involved have done a great job to put the proposals for running the sport safely behind closed doors to the government and getting the green light.
“We have racing at the highest level anywhere in the world here and we will put on a good show. By Friday we will be into the first Group One of the season and on Saturday and Sunday, the first Classics. I can’t wait.”
Dettori who, like many southern-based jockeys, is waiting for Kempton on Tuesday to dust his boots off, added: “Ironically the day we start, June 1, is the 20th anniversary of my plane crash. But I can’t wait for Tuesday and, after 10 weeks locked up with them at home, no one will be happier than my wife and kids to see the back of me!”
The leaders of British racing said that the decision would help save livelihoods and businesses in the £4 billion industry.
Nick Rust, chief executive of the BHA, said: “I’m sure the return of racing will be welcomed by all those who’ve missed the excitement of live sport and the majestic sight of racehorses running at full gallop. We hope it will lift the nation’s spirits in difficult times and look forward to seeing our owners and racing fans back at racecourses as soon as that’s possible.”
Racing last took place, behind closed doors at Wetherby and Taunton, two low key jump meetings, on March 17 before the turf Flat season had begun. However, 76 days later, it is back but, this time, with detailed protocols (a document running to 33 pages) which the BHA now has in place to ensure the safety of its participants.
With the first quarter of the Flat season gone without a race being run, the Classics have been saved with the Guineas put back to next weekend and the Derby scheduled to go a month later than normal on July 4.
High profile meetings lost to the sport since include the Grand National at Aintree, Scottish National at Ayr, the jump season’s finale at Sandown, Newmarket’s Craven meeting, Chester May and York’s Dante meeting, among them some key Derby trials.
