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Football authorities in the UK have come under fire for their decision to postpone this weekend’s round of fixtures following the death of Queen Elizabeth, with some fans questioning the move as other sports bodies opted to let play continue.
The queen, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, died at her home at Balmoral in Scotland on Thursday at the age of 96, prompting the premiership as well as the second-tier championship to postpone their weekend fixtures as a mark of respect.
Soccer games in Northern Ireland were also postponed, while the football association in Wales postponed fixtures from September 9 to 12. Professional soccer matches in the Scottish leagues were also cancelled.
But England’s deciding third cricket test match against South Africa at The Oval resumed yesterday, while the rugby premiership will also get under way after Friday’s two season-opening matches were rescheduled.
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), the representative body for soccer fans in England and Wales, said the cancellation of games was a missed opportunity for fans to pay their respect to the queen.
FSA said
Former England internationals Peter Crouch and Gary Neville echoed the group’s sentiments.
“Black armbands, moments of silence observed, the national anthem, royal band playing, among other things, to the millions around the world watching ... Isn’t that a better send-off?” Crouch asked.
Neville added: “Sport can demonstrate better than most the respect the queen deserves.”
The department for digital, culture, media and sport had said there was “no obligation to cancel or postpone events and sporting fixtures”, effectively leaving the decision to each sport’s governing body.
‘DIFFICULT DECISION’
The Rugby Football League said it had made the “difficult decision” of ensuring that matches at all levels went ahead, while the BMW PGA Golf Championship opted to restart as a 54-hole event yesterday after Friday’s play was cancelled.
READ:Photos | The world mourns Queen Elizabeth as King Charles vows to serve his nation
Today’s Great North Run, the world’s biggest half-marathon with 60 000 entrants, was scheduled to also go ahead as planned, a decision that was welcomed by many competitors.
The British Horseracing Authority had suspended all events for two days.
There were moving scenes at The Oval in London yesterday as supporters applauded at length after singing God Save the King before the day’s action got under way, the vast majority of the crowd no doubt singing the anthem for the first time in their life.
But Neil Stevens (58), a recent retiree and cricket fan, told Reuters he had mixed feelings.
Steven said
“I’m mixed about it. The problem is it’s completely ruined this as a match. Are we going to get a three-day result? We’ve had a couple [of three-day results], but in a sense it has taken away that aspect of this game.
“But it was appropriate to do something to mark the passing of our monarch. I’m not particularly a royalist. You don’t get to retire in that job – you work until you drop dead. For that, it was appropriate to do something.”
Another fan, Alex Turner (32), said he felt the English Premier League had made a mistake and that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had made the smarter decision. “It’s a good sign,” he added.
“The ECB has done well to keep things going. It was a better strategy.”
