Fans are unlikely to be allowed during the initial resumption of sports events. PA.
Fans are unlikely to be allowed during the initial resumption of sports events. PA.
Fans are unlikely to be allowed during the initial resumption of sports events. PA.
Fans are unlikely to be allowed during the initial resumption of sports events. PA.

Sport

Coronavirus: sports could return to UK in June but spectators unlikely at first

Government guidelines recognise a return to spectators being present 'may only be fully possible significantly later'

Simon Rushton
Simon Rushton

May 11, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

Elite sport in England could start behind closed doors from June 1.

The UK government published guidelines on Monday for lifting its lockdown and, with it, the steps to allow the return of sports.

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It is not yet known when spectators might be allowed or international events might restart.

Step two of the government’s roadmap, which cannot begin before June 1, includes "permitting cultural and sporting events to take place behind closed doors for broadcast, while avoiding the risk of large-scale social contact".

The guidelines recognise a return to spectators "may only be fully possible significantly later depending on the reduction in numbers of infections".

All sporting events will only resume if sufficient progress is made in limiting the spread of the virus between now and June.

Sports events involving international travel, such as football's European competitions, cricket tours and Formula One, could be affected by the planned introduction of an enforced 14-day quarantine period for arrivals to the UK, except for those from countries "on a short list of exemptions".

Cricket will not restart until at least July. Getty Images
Cricket will not restart until at least July. Getty Images

Premier League football clubs were meeting on Monday to continue their discussions on "Project Restart".

The English top-flight had been planning for a return to action no earlier than the week beginning June 8.

Cricket will not start its new season until July 1 at the earliest.

Premiership Rugby hopes to resume its 2019-2020 season in early July, with nine rounds of matches remaining.

And boxing is also hoping for behind-closed-doors events to begin in July.

The UK has been in lockdown for six weeks, and on Sunday Prime Minister Boris Johnson allowed the first moves to easing the stay-at-home orders.

A pedestrian walks across the Millennium Bridge over the River Thames in London, the day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced plans to let more people go to work. AP
A pedestrian walks across the Millennium Bridge over the River Thames in London, the day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced plans to let more people go to work. AP
Seats display social-distancing signs at London's Victoria Station, one of the capital's busiest transport centres. AP
Seats display social-distancing signs at London's Victoria Station, one of the capital's busiest transport centres. AP
Pedestrians cross the road on Southwark Bridge during the morning rush hour. AP
Pedestrians cross the road on Southwark Bridge during the morning rush hour. AP
In Brighton, on the South Coast, the usually busy commuter rail station was very quiet. Getty
In Brighton, on the South Coast, the usually busy commuter rail station was very quiet. Getty
Commuters use cycle lanes as they travel into London. Getty Images
Commuters use cycle lanes as they travel into London. Getty Images
Traffic flows on the Embankment during the morning rush hour in London. AP
Traffic flows on the Embankment during the morning rush hour in London. AP
A temporary cycle lane has been created in Brighton to help persuade people to not use public transport Getty
A temporary cycle lane has been created in Brighton to help persuade people to not use public transport Getty
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While you're here
The smuggler

Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple. 
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.

Khouli conviction

Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.

For sale

A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.

- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico

- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000

- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950

Coronavirus