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A France fan receives a wristband from a test validation post outside the stadium after testing negative for Coronavirus prior to the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Group F match between France and Germany at the Allianz Arena on June 15, 2021 in Munich.
Unlike the America Cup that is being played in Brazil without the entrance of the public in the stadiums, in the Old Continent things were organized differently. Football there is being lived with Euro 2020, a tournament that is reaching its final stage, with the permission to allow fans of this sport and fans of their national teams to enter the different matches that have been played.
In Europe, precisely in the main venues chosen to carry out the tournament, which include several countries on the continent, several fans have been attending the stadiums, with limited capacity. In addition, those who have not been able to get a ticket, meet in bars, pubs and tourist spots in the respective cities to enjoy the respective games.
This situation has generated great concern on the part of the World Health Organization, who this Thursday, July 1, and with 10 days to complete the contest, have assured that a new wave of infections from the pandemic of the COVID-19 virus.
This occurs, according to the WHO, because the host cities are responsible for the increase in coronavirus infections, since the crowds are not being controlled, the fans are traveling by public transport, moving from city to city and attending parties after soccer games, some without any precautions.
Similarly, according to the World Health Organization, ten weeks ago the cases of Covid-19 had been reduced, but now, this situation is expected to reverse, ensuring that last week the number of new cases increased by 10% , as a result of travel, relaxation of social restrictions and the events that occur around Euro 2020.
“We have to look far beyond the stadiums themselves. We have to see how people get to the stadiums, if they travel in large crowded bus convoys. And when they leave the stadiums, do they head to crowded bars and pubs to watch the games? It is these small, continuous events that drive the spread of the virus. The concern of a surge in autumn is still there, but what we see now is that it could come even earlier, “he explained in statements cited by The vanguard, Catherine Smallwood, Head of Emergencies at WHO.
Also, the head of WHO in Europe, Hans Kluge said that “we are concerned about large gatherings of people, especially in countries where new cases are increasing. It is important to implement public health measures. Organizers and local authorities must promote initiatives to reduce contagion ”.
It should be noted that these accusations by the WHO have been joined by authorities from several countries, who hold UEFA and the Eurocup responsible for the increases in new cases, due to the massive transit of fans to attend the different matches. In addition, they have the concern that the Delta variant of Covid-19 is causing in countries such as the United Kingdom.
“If what you want is to sow Europe with this Delta variant, it could not be done better. It is a total nonsense to send fans to places of very high risk, when it would not have been complicated to move those matches, which will take place in cities of risk countries, to cities of countries with lower risk ”, criticized epidemiologist Antoine Flahault, to the AFP.
Along these lines, the German Interior Minister, Horst Seehofer, spoke out, pointing out that the organizing bodies of the competition were “absolutely irresponsible. I cannot explain why UEFA is not being sensible… I suspect it is due to commercialism, ”he reported. CNN.
Getty ImagesCovid-19 information is displayed on the LED board before the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Group A match between Turkey and Italy at Stadio Olimpico
Given this indication, UEFA assured according to Reuters agency, that the venues “are fully aligned with the regulations established by the competent local public health authorities.”
There were infected fans
The Scottish authorities reported that nearly 2,000 people living in Scotland, infected with the Covid-19 virus, attended a group stage match against England in London on June 18.
For this reason, for the Euro Cup quarter-final match between England and Ukraine at the Olympic Stadium, Rome has prepared a special security plan to control the arrival of British fans, as some 2,500 fans will travel to Italy.
Photo by MIKE HEWITT / AFP via Getty ImagesItaly fans pose with masks as a precaution against the transmission of the new coronavirus before the UEFA EURO 2020 Group A soccer match between Italy and Wales at the Olympic Stadium in Rome on June 20, 2021
Among the measures are to respect a period of five days of quarantine, controls at the two main airports, both Fiumicino and Ciampino, at the Termini train station and a control of the maximum capacity of 16,000 people, 25% of the total stadium, reported Forbes.
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