Emergency meeting called on Friday to discuss sport schedule. Test match with South Africa paused and could be cancelled
The sport will observe a day of mourning for the Queen on Friday, with the third Test between England and South Africa and the PGA Championship at Wentworth suspended for at least a day as a mark of respect.
All Football League fixtures on Friday and the third day of the St Leger Festival of Racing in Doncaster have also been cancelled, while the RFU will announce in the morning whether Bristol v Bath and Sale v Northampton will go ahead. However, the Super League elimination play-off between the Catalans and Leeds will still take place in Rugby League as it is in Perpignan.
The Scottish Professional Football League also said in a statement that Friday evening’s game between Cove Rangers and Dundee has been postponed. Weekend fixtures will be updated on Friday.
Several sports will also hold snap talks in the morning to decide whether play should resume at the weekend, with most expected to do so over the next 24 hours depending on public mood. Many are also encouraged by the government’s indication that the palace does not want to go long without fixtures or events.
However, football may be an exception, with the Premier League and the English Football League meeting at 9am to agree the final position. Some people in the game consider not taking up police resources or obstacles, while others believe that a longer period of mourning would be more appropriate. It could still lead to the postponement of an entire weekend of games.
The Games received official guidance from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport just hours after the Queen’s death, leaving little time to plan the weekend, due to fears of leaks.
This has led to frustration among some as they scramble to decide what to do next. One observer told the Guardian that a key debate among all sports centered on whether a one-day or longer suspension was more appropriate to mark the Queen’s death.
Another said he believed the majority of sports wanted to resume on Saturday, although he indicated all would be mindful of public mood over the next 24 hours.
It is understood that the England and Wales cricket board is considering options for a third Test at the Oval. Hadd is applying to the International Cricket Council for an extra day to cancel the match altogether. However, it is believed that the Test is more likely to go ahead sometime this weekend, with a proper mark of respect for the Queen.
A similar attitude prevailed among the European Tour when the PGA Championship was immediately suspended for the day after the news broke. In a statement, DP Tour also said that play will be suspended on Friday, with the golf course and practice facilities also closed.
Cycling’s Tour of Britain, due to finish in the Isle of Wight on Sunday, has also been cancelled.
The Football League confirmed that Friday’s Burnley v Norwich City and Tranmere Rovers v Stockport County games had been postponed. It added: “In addition to further consultation with DCMS and other sports, a determination will be made about the remainder of the fixtures scheduled for this weekend following a review of official bereavement guidance.”
