England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) CEO Tom Harrison said the board has been given a leading role by the British government’s Department of Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS) to examine how bio-secure venues could be created in order to restart competitive sport without fans.
The government has asked ECB among all sport governing institutions in the UK to look into how sports might be able to resume in secure environments once the restrictions imposed due to COVID-19 pandemic are eased.
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“The ECB has been asked to lead by DCMS across football, horse racing, tennis and rugby," Harrison was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo. "There has been a lot of communication between sports, particularly around health, as we are trying to guarantee safety."
"I had a conference call with the head of the FA (Football Association) and the RFU (Rugby Football Union) about a range of topics: working together; how we share information about playing behind closed doors. I’m speaking to the Premier League later. We’re facing very similar challenges and taking decisions as a sector."
There will be a rethink over venues if the medical experts give a green signal to the ECB for the resumption of cricket behind closed doors.
"What we have to be really careful with here is to understand that right now testing elite athletes or people in sport just cannot be a priority in the context of the national health crisis and the issues frontline workers and vulnerable people are facing," said Harrison, as the ECB suspended all cricket in England and Wales till July 1.
"Government tells us when the time is right. It’s not yet, clearly. We’re not lobbying the government; we’re working with them."
The Football League (EFL), which organises the three divisions below the Premier League, on Saturday (April 25) left a statement regarding the medical testing of players and others involved in the smooth conduct of games.
"Clearly, before any return to football can take place, suitable testing arrangements for participants must be in place and this is core to our current planning, as is ensuring there is absolutely no negative impact on the country’s front-line workers, the Emergency services, League and Club staff members,” the league said in a statement.
“The EFL’s medical advisor is working with a select group of medical professionals and sports scientists to ensure their collective expertise is utilised to address these issues. This group will consider the latest medical information and evidence from both in the UK and abroad, particularly around the viability and accessibility of the various COVID-19 tests that are currently available."
The EFL is welcoming of "the current steps being taken by the UK Government to establish a group of governing bodies to look at the complex set of challenges facing the wider sporting industry."
(Inputs from Reuters)
