In recent days, a little smell has started to spread, all over Europe and in all sports. A smell (alas) far too well known to sports fans, and especially very far from that of fries and beer collected on the fly before settling in a grandstand.
While we thought we were done with in camera, postponements and cancellations, now the Omicron variant is showing up. And stings that of amateurs and sportsmen.
In Austria, first, the population is in confinement “strict” since November 22. It makes sense to see the Davis Cup group stage take place behind closed doors in Innsbruck.
Closer to home, Germany is also facing a resumption of the pandemic. On Saturday, the Klassiker between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich was played in front of 15,000 spectators, or 18% of the overall capacity of Signal Iduna Park, due to the application of a gauge.
At the moment when the Netherlands is finished with the closed door in its stadiums. The match between Dortmund and Munich was for a time under the threat of a total closed session like that decided by the Land of Saxony for Leipzig against Leverkusen (1-3, November 28).
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– FC Bayern München (@FCBayern) December 3, 2021
In rugby, it is panic on the European cups since several British, Irish and Italian clubs returned from South Africa with the Omicron variant in the suitcases. Several affected players were left on the African continent.
Players and staff spared by the virus and returning to Great Britain respect a quarantine. On Wednesday, the body that manages the European Cups announced new measures to avoid match postponements and cancellations.
A cancellation that the Isu Grand Prix of figure skating could not avoid. The final, scheduled for December 9-12, 2021 in Osaka (Japan), cannot be held for health reasons, ISU said via a press release Thursday, December 2.
The ISU was informed by the Japan Skating Federation (JSF) that the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final 2021, scheduled to take place from December 9 – 12, 2021 in Osaka (JPN) cannot be held as planned.
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– ISU Figure Skating (@ISU_Figure) December 2, 2021
While many options, like cancellations and gauges, are aimed at reducing the spread of the virus, the virus has hit clubs and created clusters. In Lille, around twenty cases of Covid-19 have been reported within the Losc stewardship and ticketing services, the Lille club told AFP on Wednesday, confirming information from The team. Another cluster in Portugal.
On Saturday 27 November, the Belenenses team could only field nine players at the start of the match against Benfica. For good reason, 17 of his players had tested positive for Coronavirus.
Doubly vaccinated, Lebron James tested positive on November 29. Placed in solitary confinement the next day, the quadruple MVP’s quarantine lasted only two days because of new test results.
“Following two negative PCR tests more than 24 hours apart, Los Angeles Lakers point guard LeBron James is in compliance with NBA health and safety protocols.”the league said in a statement the following Thursday.
A true-false test and a Covid protocol that left “confused”, “frustrated” and “angry” the American leader, according to our colleagues from ESPN.
On another continent, it is a different protocol that raises questions. With more than a month to go before the start of the Australian Open (January 17 to 30), the organizers have made the choice to restrict participation to vaccinated players only.
An obligation which could be right for the participation of the world n ° 1, Novak Djokovic. After taking a stand against the vaccine, the Serbian could skip the first Grand Slam of the season. A possibility mentioned by the player’s father.