Spectators will be allowed to attend World Snooker Championship final

Spectators will be allowed to attend World Snooker Championship final as Government confirm pilot events for safe return of crowds to start at the Crucible

  • Spectators will be allowed to attend the World Snooker Championship final
  • Government confirmed pilot events for safe return of crowds to sport
  • An October 1 return for fans in other sports could now be back on the cardsĀ 

Spectators will be allowed to attend this weekend’s World Snooker Championship final – with an October 1 return for fans in other sports now back on the cards.

The Government confirmed that pilot events for the safe return of crowds will restart on Saturday at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre, a fortnight after they aborted all test events following a spike in coronavirus cases.

World Snooker bosses now have just a day to get the Crucible ready for the return of spectators and inform ticket holders they can come back, having played all but the first day of the tournament without a crowd.

Spectators are allowed to attend the final of the World Snooker Championships this weekend

The Government will then set out a full pilot programme which is likely to include race meetings – next month’s St Leger Festival at Doncaster possibly among them – as well as county cricket and football’s Women’s Super League.

The plan remains for fans in other sports to return to stadiums from the start of October while maintaining social distancing, which will likely see capacities limited to a third.

A No 10 statement said: ‘The piloting of a small number of sporting events to test the safe return of spectators will resume from August 15 with a view to reopening competition venues for sports fans, with social distancing measures in place from October 1.

‘This will commence with the final of the World Snooker Championship at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre during 15-16 August, with a full pilot programme to follow.’

Government confirmed pilot events for the safe return of crowds to sport following covid-19

Government confirmed pilot events for the safe return of crowds to sport following covid-19