Sadiq Khan worried Premier League return may lead to coronavirus spread despite his beloved Liverpool on verge of title
LONDON Mayor Sadiq Khan is worried about the Premier League restarting - even though he is a Liverpool fan.
He fears it could lead to another rise in Covid-19 cases.
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He said: “I am concerned about any action that could inadvertently lead to the virus spreading.
“Let me make a confession. Even though I'm a south Londoner, I support Liverpool and that's why a small part of my brain is keen for us to return.
“But actually the bigger part of my brain is saying safety is what matters.
“All of us need cheering up and there's nothing more joyous for sports fans than watching sport on TV, even without the crowds - but we need to make sure we don't inadvertently give an opportunity to the virus to spread.”
Khan is concerned fans still could turn up at stadiums for behind-closed-doors matches - even though they will not be allowed entry.
He told LBC radio: “I know, human nature as it is, fans will turn up to see the coach arriving, to listen to the atmosphere - the players inside the stadium even though they're not allowed in, to see the coach leaving, to buy t-shirts and scarves.
“So police and councils need to enforce the rules.”
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He continued: “The overwhelming measures to social distancing are still there, the overwhelming measures to lockdown are still there. The key thing has got to be what is safe.
“We can't have fans congregating around the stadiums. We don't want Premier League clubs in London to have fans congregating... we've got Tottenham vs Arsenal coming up.
“It's really important clubs work with police and others to make sure we get this right.”
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