English Premier League could resume season behind closed doors from June 1: Report

SINGAPORE — The English Premier League (EPL) has been given the go-ahead by the authorities to resume its season behind closed doors from June 1 but the final decision rests with the clubs, sports website ESPN reported on Monday (May 11).

The EPL, which is widely followed in Singapore, is arguably the most high-profile domestic football competition in the world. The broadcast rights involve vast sums of money.

The British government has established a road map to ease the country’s lockdown restrictions imposed during the Covid-19 crisis, which has hit Britain particularly hard. It sets out the conditions under which various activities may be safely carried out.

The second step of the process, which cannot begin any earlier than 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", news agency Agence-France Presse reported.

In its report on Monday, ESPN said that no spectators will be allowed at matches should the EPL return, with the league's 20 clubs set for a vote on whether to resume the season in the next few days.

The clubs may also take a decision on Monday, British time, over the issue of player contracts, which could be a complicating factor given that some players, reportedly about 160 of them, are due to run out of contract at the end of June. Some clubs are cash-strapped since revenue have dried up with the suspension of the season.

There are still 92 league fixtures still to be played this season, if it does indeed get back on track and run the full distance. Clubs are back in training while observing the British government's safe distancing guidelines.

While games may be played from June 1, it would take some considerable time before supporters are allowed back into the stands.

Some sporting competitions around the world that have resumed with no crowds have used soundtracks of crowd noise in broadcasts to try to reproduce the atmosphere for audiences, rather than having a spectacular sporting feat, for example, met with total silence.

EPL crowds are very vocal, often singing and chanting in support of their teams.

British government guidelines state that allowing crowds back in "may only be fully possible significantly later depending on the reduction in numbers of infections".

As of Monday, Britain's Covid-19 death toll stands at 32,065, based on figures announced on Monday by the British Department of Health.

The country has one of the highest number of infections in the world, with 224,326 cases. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson contracted Covid-19 and nearly died from the condition. AGENCIES