Sporting bodies will not have an obligation to cancel events this weekend following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the UK government has confirmed. The nation remains in a state of mourning following Thursday evening’s announcement that at the age of 96 and after 70 years on the throne, the Queen had passed away.
Events planned for Friday have been cancelled with Football League fixtures between Burnley-Norwich City and Tranmere Rovers- Stockport County being postponed as a mark of respect. However, a decision is yet to be made regarding games and events planned over the weekend.
A meeting will be held this morning between Richard Masters, the head of the Premier League and members of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and it was expected that all games throughout the top flight, the Football league and the women’s game would be postponed. However, government guidance suggests that games can go ahead this weekend as planned.
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A statement titled ‘The Guidance for the Period of National Mourning’ indicates that governing bodies will not be forced to cancel or postpone fixtures during the National Mourning period, while advising games be cancelled or moved so to not to clash with the State Funeral, the date of which is still to be confirmed.
“There is no obligation to cancel or postpone events and sporting fixtures, or close entertainment venues during the National Mourning period,” the guidance reads. “This is at the discretion of individual organisations.
“As a mark of respect, organisations might wish to consider cancelling or postponing events or closing venues on the day of the State Funeral. They are under no obligation to do so and this is entirely at the discretion of individual organisations.
“If sporting fixtures or events are planned for the day of the State Funeral, organisations may want to adjust the event timings so they do not clash with the timings of the funeral service and associated processions. As a mark of respect, and in keeping with the tone of National Mourning, organisers may wish to hold a period of silence and/or play the National Anthem at the start of events or sporting fixtures, and players may wish to wear black armbands.”
News of this weekend’s plans will be announced in due course.
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