Tributes will be paid to Her Majesty The Queen at the sporting events going ahead today (September 10) after football fixtures were postponed as a mark of respect.
Elizabeth II’s death at the age of 96 was announced by Buckingham Palace on Thursday evening. Players and coaches will wear black armbands during the deciding Test between England and South Africa at the Kia Oval, where there will be a minute’s silence followed by the national anthem ahead of the match. Similar scenes are expected at Premiership Rugby fixtures, Super League games and the BMW PGA Championship golf tournament at Wentworth.
The official mourning guidance, published by the Government on Friday morning, stated there was no obligation on sports organisations to cancel or reschedule events. Yet the UK’s football authorities opted to postpone all domestic fixtures planned for this weekend.
Matches in the Premier League, English Football League and the Women’s Super League have been called off, along with all games at all levels in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. In addition, the women’s middleweight world title fight between Savannah Marshall and Claressa Shields, scheduled for the O2 Arena in London on Saturday, was called off by the British Boxing Board of Control.
However, many other sporting occasions will go ahead, offering spectators and participants opportunities to pay their respects at venues. Cricket at international, domestic and recreational level will resume from Saturday, the England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed. The third Test between England and South Africa will finally get under way after the opening day was washed out before day two was cancelled following the announcement from Buckingham Palace.
“Before each match, a minute’s silence will be observed followed by the national anthem,” the ECB said in a statement. “All players and coaches will wear black armbands. Branded inventory will be replaced with messaging paying cricket’s respects to the Queen.”
Premiership Rugby fixtures scheduled for Friday were postponed but will take place on Saturday and Sunday. Friday’s match between Bristol and Bath has been moved to Saturday at 5.30pm, while Sale versus Northampton will now kick off at 3pm on Sunday.
Rugby league matches at all levels will take place as planned this weekend, as will Sunday’s Great North Run. The race’s founder, Brendan Foster, told PA: “We’re aiming to have tens of thousands of people coming together, but the mood will be very different. They will be coming together to pay tribute to our great Queen, which is absolutely right.”
The first day’s play at the PGA Championship golf was cut short on Thursday following news of the Queen’s death but organisers confirmed the tournament would resume on Saturday as a 54-hole event.
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