Australia’s chief medical officer, Brendan Murphy, has advised Australia’s State and Federal governments to ban public gatherings of more than 500 people due to the coronavirus pandemic, leaving the immediate future of the country’s sporting competitions in grave doubt.
However, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the ban will not come into effect until Monday, putting the onus on governing bodies to make the call on whether their sporting events will go ahead this weekend.
The news of Professor Murphy’s advice came less than an hour after the NRL announced plans to persevere with tonight’s two fixtures as per usual, while the FFA had released a statement confirming the weekend’s A-League and W-League matches would proceed as normal, a stance they reiterated later in the day.
Following the Prime Minister’s announcement, it is believed the NRL will go ahead with the two Friday night games as planned, with a decision to be made tomorrow morning about the rest of the round.
The AFL haven’t made any public announcement on their plans for this year’s competition, due to begin next Thursday, although many clubs have released their own responses to the spread of coronavirus. However, crowds will be allowed at tonight’s AFLW match between the Cats and Kangaroos in Geelong before that competition is closed to fans from Saturday onwards.
For the start of the men’s competition, the only decision facing the AFL is whether to play matches behind closed doors or to postpone it entirely, with the former measure reportedly set to be confirmed early next week.
The Covid-19 pandemic has already had a massive impact on the sporting world both inside and outside Australia. This weekend’s Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne was cancelled this morning, while Australia’s men’s ODI series against New Zealand will be played in empty stadiums after Cricket Australia announced a crowd ban for the three fixtures. Australian fast bowler Kane Richardson has been withdrawn from the series following a test for the illness which he is still awaiting the results for.
Super Rugby and Super W matches in Australia will be played in empty stadiums from next weekend onwards, while next month’s Australian Swimming Championships have been cancelled.
Overseas, the NBA has been postponed for at least 30 days after Utah Jazz centre Rudy Gobert, a teammate of Australian Joe Ingles, tested positive for the virus. Fellow Jazz All-Star Donovan Mitchell has also tested positive since the postponement.
In England, Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta and Chelsea youngster Callum Hudson-Odoi have both tested positive for the illness, making an English Premier League postponement seemingly inevitable, while all sport in Italy has been put on hold as the country goes into lockdown.
JGK
Roar Guru
What you talkin’ ‘bout Jeff?
Cat
Roar Guru
So same symptoms as the flu, same outcome as the flu, same 'at risk' people dying as the flu ... but its so different?
Dougie
Roar Rookie
New OrleansKatrina was a disgrace wasn't it.Third world country within a first world country.
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
I guess so Mick. Never been involved in one so can't say first hand but I do think they are misnamed. Doesn't seem to be anything too civil about them. Should be called internal wars or something. Anything but 'civil' really.
Nick
Roar Guru
How to explain multi-ethnic Singapore's community spirit?
Micko
Roar Rookie
Civil wars are ALWAYS shockers! What alternative would you assume?! :stoked:
Micko
Roar Rookie
Civil wars usually are Bob!
Micko
Roar Rookie
You're not religious? :shocked:
Micko
Roar Rookie
Really? :stoked:
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
I get my advice on the weather forecast in 80 years from the expert Bono Pocock.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
I am ever so pleased I came to look in on what the footy fans were recommending on the infectious diseases front. It is quite different to the advice from my GP on Thursday and from the surgeon I saw three weeks ago. Should I enquire of these posters how they went in the tipping competition last season?
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
Rugby League will have to close the gates but Rugby Union will have to send the lower grade players home after they have their showers. In Sydney that is.
paha
Guest
This is not 'essentially the flu', it's much more infectious and physically damaging. And it's not 'alleged pandemic', it actually is classified as a pandemic... Can't blame medical and scientific professionals if irrational people lose their minds from them saying it like it is.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
And I've been self-isolating from SA. Half my life actually.
Cat
Roar Guru
These 'medical professionals' who are pushing this hysteria over what is essentially the flu are doing more lasting long term damage than this alleged pandemic is.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Throwing around weak insults don't discount the truth spruce.
Onside
Guest
Coronavirus is very serious. Australia is relatively isolated at the moment but it doesn't take much. There's a way to go on this. https://medium.com/@tomaspueyo/coronavirus-act-today-or-people-will-die-f4d3d9cd99ca
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
But still Germany has a lot of migrants. Look at their national teams. German-born soccer players, with ancestry from the Middle-East or Africa, play with that well known Teutonic trait of hard-work, humility and efficiency that is the hallmark that has been established by German teams since the year dot. I also include Benelux and Scandinavian teams.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Having an exemplary discipline doesn't preclude you from thinking the wrong way.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I'm a big fan of Japan and Germany. I'm a tradesman and a trades teacher. I ask myself: "Would a Japanese person accept this level of work and service?". If not, l make amends.