UK Govt Withdraws Permission To Have Spectators For Pilot Sports Events Till August 15 After Coronavirus Upsurge

England cricket board and horse racing were experimenting with a small group of spectators but PM Boris Johnson and cabinet decided it wasn't safe yet to expose spectators.

In a major setback to international and domestic cricket in England to return to normalcy with fans, the UK government reversed their decision to allow spectators on the venue after a spoke in Covid cases. This decision has been put in place at least until August 15, with the possibility of being extended.

Surrey and Middlesex at The Oval was attended by up to 1,000 people earlier this week with other counties too planning similar efforts as sports federations looked towards bringing the sport back to its full flavour.

England cricket board and horse racing were experimenting with a small group of spectators but PM Boris Johnson and cabinet decided it wasn't safe yet to expose spectators.

Culture secretary Oliver Dowden tweeted the PM Johnson's decision: "Very disappointing news that with a rise in infection rates we cannot press ahead with sports pilots with fans this weekend I know the huge efforts cricket, snooker & horseracing have made to welcome fans back. We’ll keep working together on their safe return asap.”

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