Elite sport to go behind closed doors under new NI restrictions
- Published
The entire Ulster Championship has been played without spectators at the grounds
Elite sport will once again go behind closed doors from Friday 27 November as part of new Covid-19 restrictions introduced by the Executive.
The measures, which are set to last for two weeks, mean sport not included in the elite category cannot go ahead.
While Ulster GAA has opted to play the entire senior provincial championship without fans, limited spectators have been attending Irish Premiership football matches since the season began in October.
Over 1,000 fans were inside Windsor Park for Northern Ireland's two home internationals in the last week, while 1,000 supporters are set to attend Ulster's Pro14 game against Scarlets on Sunday.
After 600 spectators watched Ulster's season opener against Benetton on 2 October, the province took the decision to play their next two home fixtures behind closed doors, in line with advice from Northern Ireland's chief medical and scientific officers.
The Championship, the second tier of football in Northern Ireland, had been scheduled to commence their season on 28 November, but this will now have to be put back.
The latest restrictions were agreed by the Executive on Thursday night.
Restrictions could have 'devastating consequences'
The Northern Ireland Sports Forum says it "fully appreciates" the challenging decisions facing the Executive but feels the restrictions on sport will have "long-lasting impacts" on the health sector.
It added sports organisations and members were confident they could continue all activity through social distancing measures in heavily controlled environments and a "significant number" of its member sports said they were unaware of any cases of the virus being transmitted between participants in their sporting environment.
A statement read: "With continued inactivity of sport, many of our members are growing anxious that the continued loss of habitual involvement in sport and physical activity will lead to long term challenges for individuals and local communities.
"Sports club members are passionate about their involvement in sport and physical activity and sustained inactivity is having a detrimental impact on their physical and mental health. The banning of activity at levels below elite will only enhance the impact on the public at present, but will have long lasting impacts on our health sector.
"The Northern Ireland Sports Forum has deep concerns that enforcing the cessation of sport and physical activity below elite level will have devastating consequences for the health and wellbeing of the general public and sports organisations.
"Further financial hardship will undoubtedly be felt on grassroots sports organisations whilst spectator sports will be faced with further severe challenges they have been working so hard to overcome."