By Ali Iveson |
French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has said that no sporting events will be staged in the country before September – even those without any spectators present.
It means that the football and rugby union seasons look to be over, whilst the Tour de France – scheduled to begin on August 29 – will likely have to move again if it is to go ahead in 2020.
The Tour de France has already been postponed once due to the coronavirus pandemic, moving from an original start date of June 27.
France is currently under a national lockdown to try and stop the spread of coronavirus, which will run until at least May 11.
Some leagues in France had been hoping to resume training soon after that, with the Ligue de Football Professionnel announcing that it intended to resume Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches on June 17, but that will not be possible.
“The 2019-2020 season of professional sports, including football, will not be able to resume,” Philippe said in a speech detailing the Government’s exit strategy from the current lockdown.
“It will be possible, on sunny days, to practice an individual sporting activity outdoors, obviously respecting the rules of social distancing.
“It will not be possible, neither to practice sport in covered places, nor team or contact sports.”
Republished with permission from insidethegames.biz.