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

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.

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".

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.