The English football championship, as well as English Premier League, and other top-tier professional sporting events in the UK will not be suspended despite a national lockdown, according to the new COVID-19 guidance.
According to the guidance on the UK government's website, participants of "elite" competitions will be allowed to train and participate in tournaments.
"Some of these businesses and places will also be permitted to be open for a small number of exempt activities. ... [including permissions] for elite sports persons to train and compete (in indoor and outdoor sports facilities), and professional dancers and choreographers to work (in fitness and dance studios)", the guidance reads.
For non-professional players, both young and adult, the games and training have been suspended, except for organized outdoor training for disabled persons. And for those who exercise, the restrictions prescribe to limit their activities to once a day outside but within their local area, or with one person from another household only.
All indoor and outdoor leisure facilities will remain closed under lockdown, which includes gyms, swimming pools, non-professional dance studios, golf courses and others.
In March last year, the English Premier League season was suspended for several months due to the coronavirus.
According to data collected by Johns Hopkins University, on Monday, the UK recorded more than 50,000 new confirmed coronavirus cases for the seventh day in a row, despite the start of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in late December.
In total, the UK has registered more than 2.7 million coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic and over 75,500 related deaths.
