Mayor of London expresses his concerns over Premier League’s return
- Premier League is set to return on June 17
- Games will be played behind closed doors
- Mayor of London is concerned about the safety of the football return
- Mental Health and Psychosocial considerations during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has expressed his concern at the return of the Premier League on June 17.
Premier League action is set to resume on June 17 following an unprecedented three month break due to Covid-19 pandemic.
While football fans are buoyed with the return of action, the Mayor has voiced his concern citing ‘we do not want to inadvertently give an opportunity to the virus to spread’.
While the games are set to follow the precedence of the Bundesliga by having the games behind closed doors, the Mayor is concerned that supporters may turn up outside the stadiums.
Speaking to LBC, the Mayor said:
‘I am concerned about any action that could inadvertently lead to the virus spreading.
‘Let me make a confession. Even though I’m a south Londoner, I support Liverpool and that’s why a small part of my brain is keen for us to return.
‘But actually the bigger part of my brain is saying safety is what matters.
‘We don’t want to inadvertently, for the best of intentions – all of us need cheering up, there’s nothing more joyous for sports fans than watching sport on TV, even without the crowds – but we need to make sure we don’t inadvertently give an opportunity to the virus to spread.
‘I know, human nature as it is, fans will turn up to see the coach arriving, to listen to the atmosphere – the players inside the stadium even though they’re not allowed in, to see the coach leaving, to buy t-shirts and scarves, police and councils need to enforce the rules.’
The Premier League have desperately been trying to finalise plans to get the season back underway again following its suspension at the beginning of March.
June 20 has been lined up as the first round of fixtures following the Premier League’s resumption. However, Manchester City vs Arsenal and Aston Villa vs Sheffield United are set to go ahead on Wednesday June 17.
The restart date leaves Premier League managers with just three weeks to get their squads ready for the eagerly-awaited kick-off.
