Things are getting better with the sound and sight of fans at sporting events increasingly once more a part of the fabric of the experience.
There is still a way to go though.
Each week we will take a look at developments around the world on where sporting organisations, public health authorities and governments are moving in the return to stadia.
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EURO THREAT REMAINS OVER WEMBLEY
There has been no movement since Friday when UEFA said that it could not rule out moving the Final and maybe the semi-finals away from Wembley as a result of the UK Government delaying the easing of restrictions.
The stadia to have thus far been full to capacity are those in Budapest and Copenhagen.
Wembley and Hampden Park will today stage the final group matches for England and Scotland with attendance figures of 22,000 and 10,000 respectively. It had been hoped that by now these games could be played to full capacity but the choice to delay full reopening by a month has forced the change.
The requirement of overseas fans arriving into England to quarantine is based on a colour coded list. Turkey is the only competing country on the red list which requires Quarantine in a hotel on arrival but so too is Qatar where you’d imagine there would be some VIP travel related to next year’s World Cup Finals.
Countries on the Amber list require quarantine where you are staying and tests to be taken. These include France, Germany, Portugal, Denmark and many other of the countries taking part.
The issue of Covid has been heightened once again for the tournament with Scottish player Billy Gilmour testing positive and a number of proiminent England players isolating as a result of potential close contact.
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THINGS ARE BETTER IN IRELAND
Croke Park welcomed 2,400 fans for two games last weekend and will do so again on Saturday for the final of the Lidl Ladies National League Football Division One competition.
There are a list of requirements for all those attending, including the requirement to wear masks, remain physically distant and not congregate before or after the game.
Last weekend’s first pilot events went off without any difficulties and it is hoped the numbers will be permitted to rise over the coming weeks.
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AVIVA STADIUM TO OPEN UP FOR FANS
Fans will return to the Aviva Stadium next month for two international rugby fixtures against Japan on July 3rd and the USA one week later.
Capacity at the Aviva for the Vodafone Summer Series will be limited to up to 3,000 supporters for the game against Japan 6,000 supporters for the USA fixture on the 10th July.
These figures are six and 12 per cent of the full capacity that would normally be permitted.
It will be the first time that any supporters will have attended the Aviva Stadium since Ireland’s Guinness Six Nations game against Wales on the 8th February 2020.
The numbers are expected to rise through the summer and the big winners could be the events taking place from September including the All Ireland Ladies Football Final, the Guinness Autumn Series of Rugby internationals in November, and the FIFA World Cup Qualifier against Portugal at the same stadium, also in November.
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OLYMPICS OPEN TO 10,000
Residents of Japan will be allowed to attend the Olympic Games this summer. Friends and family of overseas competitors will not be permitted to attend but the key thing at this stage is to get the games on. This decision of the local authorities, running counter to the prevailing mood of negativity towards the Games, is a strong positive for those preparing to travel.
During a meeting held between the five parties yesterday, the IOC, IPC, Tokyo 2020, Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Government of Japan agreed for the spectator limit for the Olympic Games to be set at “50 per cent of venue capacity, up to a maximum of 10,000 people” at all venues, taking into consideration the government’s restrictions on public events.
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