adminLONDON. — A petition urging the British Government to reconsider allowing football fans back inside stadiums has passed the 100 000 signatory mark required for a parliamentary debate.
The “Allow football fans to attend matches at all levels” motion received backing from the EFL and a large number of clubs on social media.
At present, Covid-19 restrictions mean clubs at Premier League, EFL and National League level are not allowed to admit spectators into matches.
Only non-League clubs at the seventh level of the English football pyramid and below are allowed fans inside grounds and often only at limited capacities.
The number of people who had signed the petition had surpassed the 135 000 mark yesterday morning.
Any motion that gets above the 100 000 level will be considered for debate by MPs in the House of Commons.
The Government’s initial plan was to see clubs welcome a reduced crowd back to matches from October 1 with a desire to limit the financial damage caused due to lost matchday revenue.
But a rise in coronavirus cases saw the plan shelved despite a number of successful pilot events at EFL matches.
There was outcry when it was revealed the Royal Albert Hall’s programme of Christmas events was to go ahead with 3,000 in the audience at the 5,272-capacity indoor venue in London.
The parliamentary petition, created by Ashley Greenwood, reads: “Football is a powerful tool of which allows a range of benefits such as employment, and other important aspects of life.
“Football can be associated with passion, emotion, excitement and dedication across the community. With Fans attending football games a range of economic benefits are there too.
“Due to the current issues around COVID places such as France and Germany now allow a percentage of fans to return to football games.
“I ask for the support of this petition as I fear that smaller clubs in particular will go out of business leading to a devastating effect on people.
“This petition is to ask the government to reconsider their judgement on not letting football fans back into the stadiums and reconsider doing this with the right safety measures in place surrounding the COVID-19.”
It came as the English Premier League called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the rest of Government to show consistency in decision made over spectators at public events after the arts sector was permitted limited crowds.
“We will continue to urge Government to allow us to return fans safely to stadiums,” the letter, which was signed by Richard Masters, Premier League chief executive, David Baldwin, EFL chief executive, Mark Bullingham, FA chief executive and Kelly Simmons, FA director of Women’s Professional Game, read.
“It is positive progress that major arts and music venues have been told they can run socially-distanced events indoors. And now football should be allowed to do the same – in highly regulated and stewarded outdoor environments.
“We are determined to identify a path forward with Government. We need clarity for our clubs and for you as supporters as to what the roadmap for change in this area looks like.
“We all know why caution is needed, and we ask Government for consistency in their policy so sport is treated as fairly as other activities currently allowed to welcome spectators.” — Mailonline.
Online Reporter