The impact of the Omicron variant continues to close doors in the global sports industry. Now Spain is the country that joins others such as France, Germany and Scotland to reduce its capacity in open and closed spaces, which include the sports environment.
The decision was announced on November 29, after the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System (Cisns) of Spain confirmed that stadiums and other open facilities will only be able to receive 75% of capacity, while other closed places have allowed a maximum quota of 50%.
This means that from this weekend the LaLiga and Copa del Rey matches will only be able to host three-quarters of all their seats. Matchday 19 of the Spanish first division is reactivated on Friday the 31st with the duel between Valencia and Espanyol, which will only be able to receive 41,250 fans at the Mestalla, following with other Sunday matches such as the visit of Real Madrid to Getafe and Barcelona to Mallorca.
According to versions advanced by Cadena Ser, the Council, which represents the Ministry of Health and the Autonomous Communities, has met urgently to review the anti-covid measures in sporting events after a new wave of infections, driven above all for the omicron variant. Spain accumulated three months since the authorities allowed 100% capacity in sporting events.
It will be precisely the Autonomous Communities, as has happened recently, those that have the last word on the total capacity allowed in the first and second division stadiums. The maximum decreed by Health is 75%, but it may be lower because, in fact, there are already communities, such as the Basque Country, that have established a limit of 50% for soccer matches (there are Athletic Bilbao and the Royal Society).
It should be noted that since the Spanish competition stopped its activities before Christmas, up to 237 positive cases have been confirmed between the two main categories of LaLiga, repeating reports from clubs exposing positive cases, such as Elche recently, with 12 infections in less than 24 hours.
As of the application of this measure, the sale or consumption of food and beverages will not be allowed during the sporting event. Similarly, the consumption of tobacco and related products is not allowed, both indoors and outdoors.
However, the idea of LaLiga is to continue with its matches, just like its important counterparts in Europe, such as the Premier League and Bundesliga: “This virus is very contagious and a large number of people will pass it, but it has much less pathology than the other. None of the players has been hospitalized, that’s the good thing, “said Dr. Ángel Martín, founder of the Menorca clinic, in an interview with Marca.
Contagions continue in Spanish clubs
Also on Wednesday, December 29, the two most winning clubs in Spain announced that they continue to identify COVID-19 infections within their star teams, with seven new cases in total.
At Real Madrid, the positives went to Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, Uruguayan midfielder Federico Valverde, also French midfielder Eduardo Camavinga and Brazilian forward Vinícius Junior, who is the third best scorer of the current season with 10 goals.
For their part, in Barcelona the contagions were the French Ousmane Dembele (forward) and Samuel Umtiti (defense), as well as for the young Spanish midfielder Gavi, who join Dani Alves, Jordi Alba and Clement Lenglet as the six casualties for him Sunday’s match against Mallorca, in the reactivation of LaLiga.
According to the criteria established by the Spanish federation (RFEF) and LaLiga, a match is suspended when the affected team does not have at least 13 players, of which five must be from the first team. That is why the duel between Atlético de Madrid and Rayo Vallecano is in danger, because the latter club has 17 infected players.
Since the return to training, this week alone, Real Sociedad reported that it has 10 infected players, Betis six, Cádiz and Espanyol five, Mallorca four, while Levante has three, which match the 12 it reported. Elche, although he did not specify how many correspond to players or coaching staff.
Reference-www.eleconomista.com.mx