The country’s major sporting bodies have written a joint letter to Boris Johnson and other party leaders collectively backing the idea of Covid passports to enable full stadiums at events this summer.
The FA, Scottish football, Premier League, EFL, Wimbledon, Lawn Tennis Association England and Wales Cricket Board and Silverstone have made clear that the return of crowds after May 17 is currently based on social distancing, which means venues will struggle to increase capacities above 25 per cent.
The open letter was published on Thursday night after the FA told UEFA that Wembley will be able to operate at a quarter capacity for each of England’s group games at Euro 2020 – allowing 22,500 fans to attend.
Memories of Euro 96 have been revived with the return of crowds to Wembley for Euro 2020
Covid passports raise the prospect of full houses for sports events after June 21
Ticket sales have gone well at Silverstone for the Formula 1 British Grand Prix in July
It is hoped that Wembley will be at least half full for the semi-finals, but the dream of a 90,000-capacity crowd for the final will only be possible with some form of Covid passport.
Prime Minister Johnson confirmed this week that a certification app to prove if people have been vaccinated or tested negative for coronavirus is being considered as a way to help crowds return to events from June 21.
The Government’s proposals have been criticised by Conservative MPs and opposition parties, with Labour and SNP leaders Keir Starmer and Ian Blackford both saying they do not support the plans.
However, sports governing bodies have now piled pressure on politicians to vote in favour of Covid certificates by describing the scheme as a ‘credible option’ for major events, which can help ‘end sport’s financial crisis’.
The sports’ governing bodies have underlined that the passport must include testing for coronavirus, as well as immunity, so people who cannot, or don’t want to have the vaccine, can still attend events if they haven’t got Covid.
And they suggest the use of passports should be time limited.
‘All of our sports can see the benefit that a Covid certification process offers in getting more fans safely back to their sport as quickly as possible. We know that our stadia can only be fully filled with an assurance process.
‘This process must ensure that everyone can access stadia and must include arrangements that would verify a negative Covid test or an antibody test or vaccination certification.
‘The final approach must not be discriminatory, should protect privacy, and have clear exit criteria.’
The letter comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his government have been forced to fight a rear-guard action against growing political dissent over the potential introduction of vaccine passports.
The government is committed to a review of what they call, ‘covid status certificates’, which is being conducted by the Cabinet Office and will report by June.
The EFL and Premier League have already expressed their support for the passports, if they help return fans to full stadiums.
And the latest contribution to the debate lends whole-hearted to support to the review ‘ as a credible option to enable full venues from 21 June onwards’.
There has been huge interest in the Wimbledon after last year’s event was cancelled
The Department for Culture Media and Sport, which is leading the efforts to return fans to stadiums, was quick to welcome the letter as a ‘constructive approach’.
The letter was addressed to the Prime Minister, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, Liberal Democrat chief Ed Davey, Ian Blackford, leader of the Scottish National Party in the House of Commons and Liz Saville-Roberts, group leader of Plaid Cymru at Westminster.
The sports bodies are desperate to see fans return to generate some much-needed revenue after more than a year with almost no spectators.
They fear that a combination of MPs from multiple parties could derail the review into the health passports, before the issue has even been properly considered.
Tickets are selling out at England cricket matches as hopes rise for the summer of sport
Emphasising that the passport should include testing for the virus as well as confirming immunity, and committing to a time -limited approach, the letter is calibrated to address some of the concerns held by politicians and focus minds on the potential outcome if a workable scheme can be achieved.
Labour leader Sir Keir has cast doubt on the use of covid passports, describing government plans this week as a ‘a complete mess’, which his party is unable to support ‘in their current form’.
Liberal Democrat Davey calls the passports ‘Covid ID cards’ and has described them as ‘illiberal’ and ‘unworkable’.
Hampden Park to host fans for Scotland’s games in Euro 2020, but how many will be there?
The Covid-19 vaccination pilot scheme will begin after work on an updated NHS Covid app is completed, that will show a person’s coronavirus vaccination status. Pictured: A person holds up a smart phone with a mock-up of a vaccine passport
The SNPs Blackford has said ‘on the basis of the information available, there is not a proposition in front of us that SNP MPs could support’.
Some 40 Tory MPs have made clear they are against domestic vaccine passports, warning that introducing the checks in everyday life would create a ‘two tier’ nation.
The combination of this opposition and a 40-strong Tory rebellion has prompted speculation that Mr Johnson could lose a vote on the issue in the House of Commons.
The Prime Minister, meanwhile, stressed on Wednesday it is ‘responsible’ for the Government to consider how best to safely reopen society and ‘we will look at all possibilities’.
The government is set embark on a series of pilot events examining the impact of social distancing, testing and covid passports on crowd safety.
The FA Cup Final on May 15 is due to be played in front of 21,000 people, who will have to show covid passports to attend.
Announcing the pilot events on Monday, Johnson said: ‘We are doing everything we can to enable the reopening of our country so people can return to the events, travel and other things they love as safely as possible, and these reviews will play an important role in allowing this to happen.’
England open their Euro 2020 campaign against Croatia at Wembley on June 13, before playing Scotland on June 18 and Czech Republic on June 22.
Those first two games have been given test event status by the Government so will have 22,500 fans instead of the 10,000 limit. Hampden Park will also operate at a quarter capacity for its four matches allowing 12,750 supporters. It is expected 3,600 tickets will be reserved for Scottish fans for the England clash at Wembley.
Sir Keir Starmer confirmed Labour will not back domestic vaccine passports labelling Boris Johnson’s plans ‘a complete mess’. He is pictured in Plymouth with Labour MP Luke Pollard
Even though England’s match against the Czechs is after the June 21 date, Wembley will still only operate at 25 per cent capacity but the FA then wants bigger crowds for their knock-out fixtures.
UEFA heard from all 12 host cities at a Euros meeting on Thursday and were told that fans will take lateral flow tests the day before matches. The FA would like to use proof of vaccination as another tool.
The letter from the governing bodies adds: ‘It is important that we have certainty as soon as possible on the form this guidance will take so we can plan efficiently and effectively with many big sporting events scheduled for late June and onwards.
‘The return of fans will give a huge boost to millions who enjoy a day out at a sporting event with their friends and families and be of great benefit to the economy.
‘It is right that every possible action is considered to secure this outcome as soon as possible. This includes investigating how a Covid certification arrangement could reduce and then safely remove the requirement for social distancing.’