Racing in UK Set to Carry on Behind Closed Doors
LONDON (AFP) - Racing in Britain is likely to carry on but behind closed doors, the sport’s regulatory authority the British Horseracing authority said.
The sport attracted criticism for allowing the showpiece Cheltenham Festival to go ahead last week with over 250,000 spectators attending despite the coronavirus outbreak.
Many of the Cheltenham race goers were Irish, which provoked a social media backlash in Ireland, but racing authorities saying they were following British government advice in maintaining the meeting.
However, with the Premier League football and other sports suspending their seasons, racing is to take measures of its own with the sport’s top officials to meet with other interested parties later on Monday.
"Racing industry leaders are preparing to hold race meetings without spectators and to ensure that the competitors and participants attending only do so under strict conditions,” read the statement.
The sport attracted criticism for allowing the showpiece Cheltenham Festival to go ahead last week with over 250,000 spectators attending despite the coronavirus outbreak.
Many of the Cheltenham race goers were Irish, which provoked a social media backlash in Ireland, but racing authorities saying they were following British government advice in maintaining the meeting.
However, with the Premier League football and other sports suspending their seasons, racing is to take measures of its own with the sport’s top officials to meet with other interested parties later on Monday.
"Racing industry leaders are preparing to hold race meetings without spectators and to ensure that the competitors and participants attending only do so under strict conditions,” read the statement.