Waiting for a decision by the authorities and supporting clubs: what is known about the proposal to return spectators to the stands in the RPL

Performance of clubs at the executive committee and statement by Pryadkin

The RPL does not lose hope for the soonest possible return of fans to the stands. This was stated by League President Sergei Pryadkin. However, this is possible only with the observance of sanitary standards and with the permission of the authorities. 

“We continue to work closely with executive authorities and are closely monitoring the epidemiological situation. The latest data on the positive dynamics of people's recovery and the lifting of restrictions in the regions, including in Moscow, are encouraging, ”Pryadkina quotes TASS. 

The functionary also emphasized that while the league proceeds from the fact that the “restart of the season” will be held without spectators. 

“This is very frustrating, everyone understands that football without fans in the stands is a completely different sight, a different energy. Economically, this is also a big blow to the clubs, because you have to forget about the income on the day of the match. But first of all, we should think about people's health, ”Pryadkin added.

According to media reports, the Premier League clubs on the Executive Committee of the Russian Football Union on May 15 called for the restart of the national championship with spectators. It is reported that in the RFU various options for solving the problem are being worked out, however, we are not talking about the presence of people at the meetings of the 23rd round, which will be held on June 21.

In the Mutko vs Telegram channel they wrote that the clubs initially asked to open only the stadium lodges, but after Vladimir Putin’s statement about the passage of the peak of the coronavirus, they decided to take advantage of the situation to the maximum.

Masks from Fedun and temperature measurement from Giner 

The clubs themselves do not hide the fact that they want to resume the season with the audience. This initiative was supported by the leaders of the metropolitan groups - CSKA and Spartak. The owner of the red and white Leonid Fedun, who was only recently discharged home after treatment with COVID-19, emphasized that in the absence of fans the club would suffer serious losses. 

“I hope that there will be an opportunity due to the fact that Sergei Sobyanin will now remove quarantine and allow fans to visit the arenas, taking into account sanitary standards. This would be really good. What will be the losses from holding all the remaining matches without spectators? It is millions. One and a half billion at least ", - quotes Fedun Sport24. 

If people are allowed to the stands in Spartak, they are ready to issue masks and gloves with club symbols for free at the entrance to the visitors, the club owner said. In addition, he spoke about the possibility of maintaining a sanitary distance of two to three meters between spectators at the stadium. At the same time, according to his estimation, attendance may decrease from 45 thousand to 15 thousand people. 

In turn, the president of CSKA Evgeny Giner said that football without spectators is "of little interest to anyone." As an example, he cited Germany, where after the resumption of the Bundesliga season, fans are denied access to stadiums. According to the functionary, in this case, football resembles companionship.

“Now that we are witnessing a decline in incidence rates across the country, it seems to me that I need to consider options for returning fans to stadiums. Clearly, I’m not talking about the full stands, perhaps about half of the arena, these are the details that can be worked out with a positive resolution of the issue. And, obviously, it is necessary to prepare medical requirements for the admission of fans to the stands. These are temperature measurements, rapid tests and so on, ”Giner said.

Ready to resume the season with the audience in Ufa. The club’s general director Shamil Gazizov, in an interview with RT, confirmed that this topic was indeed discussed at the RFU executive committee on May 15. 

“The representatives of the clubs raised this issue. As far as I know, they asked to let people into the stands. The RFU expressed its vision of the situation to the government. As I understand it, work in this direction is underway. Although this is still the prerogative of the RFU and RPL. Most clubs support the return of people to the stands, and it would be foolish not to support such an initiative, ”said Gazizov.

According to the functionary, Ufa residents will welcome the appearance of fans in the stands, but “safety and health of people” should be in the first place.   

“For our part, we are always ready for the fact that the audience will be allowed to attend the matches of our team. But let's first resume the season. As for the financial losses from the absence of fans, we have slightly different amounts of income from ticket sales than top clubs. It `s naturally. Ufa’s losses will be many times less, ”Gazizov added.

They supported the opening of stadiums in another metropolitan club - Lokomotiv. Chairman of the board of directors of railway workers Anatoly Meshcheryakov urged to pay attention to the words of Vladimir Putin about the passage of the peak of the pandemic. At the same time, he emphasized that the final decision would be made by the regional authorities and the Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare.

And the president of Ural Grigory Ivanov suggested holding the final match of the Cup of Russia with the spectators on July 25. Initially, the decisive meeting of the tournament was supposed to be taken by Yekaterinburg, but the executive committee of the RFU decided that the venue for the remaining meetings of the cup would be determined "taking into account the epidemiological situation."

“I think the probability exists, as we see: the restrictions are lifted, we are gradually returning to our usual life. If necessary, we are ready to introduce special control for attending the final. Maybe it’s not just the whole stadium that needs to be filled, but only part of it, so that people don’t sit next to each other and keep the necessary social distance. Health will always be in the first place, ”quotes the head of the Urals Sport-Express. 

Skepsis Samedova and Gazzaev’s warning 

However, not all experts supported the idea of ​​admitting fans to the stands in the near future. For example, the former midfielder of the Russian national team, Alexander Samedov, called this initiative poorly implemented.

“I don’t really know how to resume the RPL season with the audience. We in Moscow have not even quarantined, so what kind of football can we talk about? Will full stadiums be scored? Based on the current situation with the coronavirus in the country, I do not see the possibility for this. I don’t know what decision the government will make. I hardly believe that fans can be allowed into Russian stadiums in the summer, ”the Russian champion said in an interview with RT.

He also encouraged to study the example of other countries where national championships are renewed exclusively in the empty stands.

“If we finally defeated this infection, why not let people go. If it’s too early to talk about victory, it will be difficult to implement this idea. Even if the fans are allowed to attend RPL matches, I definitely won’t go to the stadium in the near future. I’d better watch it calmly on TV, ”Samedov added.

According to the ex-midfielder of the national team, the players are quite capable of playing the remaining eight rounds of the current RPL without fans. They themselves, according to him, are not at serious risk.  

“They have all been checked. Positive tests for COVID-19? I don’t think it’s scary. Coronavirus was quickly discovered in children, which means there will be no other infections. In addition, they are young and strong. It’s another matter that someone carries the virus easily, and someone doesn’t, ”summed up Samedov.

Agreed with him and the former head coach of the Russian national team, and at the moment, State Duma deputy Valery Gazzaev. He admitted that in the absence of fans in the game there is no drive, but urged to comply with all the recommendations of the authorities and the Ministry of Health.

“We understand that it is important now that we quickly enter the normal life that existed before the coronavirus. Therefore, we need to maintain self-isolation, walk in masks and distance ourselves from each other until a full guarantee for all citizens comes. We see that those cities and constituent entities of the Russian Federation that did not comply with this all are now in the forefront of infection rates. Yes, I also do not welcome football without fans. This is a completely different story. But in this situation, it is difficult for us to oppose something to the virus. The most important thing is to think about the health and lives of our citizens. Nothing could be more important than this, ”said Gazzaev.

And Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Igor Lebedev suggested that people would not be allowed to attend football matches.

“Of course, few people need football without fans. Indeed, if football with the fans, it would be much more interesting. Especially if it's derby or matches of top clubs that gathered full stadiums. Of course, there is still a factor of money. Indeed, if football with the fans, it would be much more interesting. There is only one nuance that is difficult to get around: the issue of security in terms of the spread of infection. Today, I’m 100% sure that no one will take responsibility for allowing the fans to attend football matches, ”Lebedev said.