PSG-Dortmund in the Champions League behind closed doors Wednesday, France-Ireland in the Six Nations Tournament postponed until the fall: the new measures linked to the development of the coronavirus are still profoundly disrupting sporting events. Roxana Maracineanu, Minister of Sports, said this Monday: there will no longer be until April 15 sports competitions bringing together more than 1,000 people in France.
Organizations behind closed doors on French soil are therefore likely to become the norm, punctuated by cancellations here and there. Here is the day-to-day update of the situation.
PSG-Dortmund in camera on Wednesday…
The knockout round of the Champions League between PSG and Dortmund will be played Wednesday at the Parc des Princes behind closed doors because of the coronavirus epidemic, announced the Paris Police Headquarters: "Coronavirus: in application of the measures announced in defense counsel last night, the Prefect of Police decided that the match will take place behind closed doors, “tweeted the Prefecture. "Paris Saint-Germain takes note of the decision of the Prefecture of Police," the club wrote in a statement, without specifying what its policy would be towards holders of tickets sold to its supporters.
#Coronavirus | In application of the measures announced in defense counsel last night, the Prefect of Police decided that the match #PSGBVB will take place behind closed doors. pic.twitter.com/arwKhKE81f
- Police Prefecture (@prefpolice) March 9, 2020… Like the end of the French women's tournament
Scheduled this Tuesday in Calais and Valenciennes, the last two matches of the France women's tournament France - Netherlands (9 p.m.) and Canada - Brazil will also take place behind closed doors. The Blue have won (1-0) their first two games in this friendly tournament, which they are already guaranteed to win. Facing Brazil on Friday, tickets had already been canceled due to the coronavirus. The FFF had sold 12,000 tickets for France - Netherlands and hoped for up to 20,000 spectators. The Federation has undertaken to reimburse all ticket holders.
OM-Montpellier and Lyon-Reims matches behind closed doors
According to our information, which confirms that of the "Midi Libre", the Montpellier club was informed, this Monday, by the prefecture of Hérault that the reception of Marseille, Saturday (17:30) at the Mosson stadium, will be held in behind closed doors.
For the moment, neither of the two clubs has yet officially communicated on this measure which should probably be applied to all the matches of the different championships (Ligue 1, Ligue 2…) in the coming weeks. In the afternoon of the rest, the Lyon - Reims match scheduled for Friday was also put behind closed doors.
Therefore, the Clasico opposing Marseille to Paris, next March 22, should also be held behind closed doors unless the prefecture of Bouches-du-Rhône believes that the rivalry between the two clubs is likely to generate disorder. public outside the enclosure.
In Ligue 2, the last match of the 28th day between Lens and Orleans scheduled for Monday evening will also be played without an audience. Paris FC, which receives Châteauroux on Friday (8 p.m. at the Charléty stadium) is waiting to hear the recommendations of the Paris Prefecture to decide its position, between a closed session and limited reception by the public.
The OL / Stade de Reims meeting will be played behind closed doors # OLSDR https://t.co/FH6WArPnO5
- Olympique Lyonnais (@OL) March 9, 2020Six Nations: France-Ireland postponed
The France-Ireland match, scheduled this Saturday at the Stade de France for the fifth day of the Six Nations Rugby Tournament, is postponed. No postponement date has yet been set. France-Ireland is the third match of the 2020 Tournament postponed after Ireland-Italy, originally scheduled for March 7, and Italy-England, for March 14.
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These postponements leave open the identity of the team which will win the Tournament. This situation refers to the year 2001, when an epizootic of foot-and-mouth disease had led to the postponement of three games. England was sacred in ... October.
🔴 The French Rugby Federation takes note of the decision of the Ministry of Sports to postpone the France-Ireland meeting this Saturday, March 14, 2020 to limit the spread of the epidemic # COVID2019.
The press release 👇 @ Sports_gouv #FRAIRL #SixNations https://t.co/vwECDkbaUf
Indian Wells tennis tournament canceled
Despite draconian prevention measures, the prestigious Indian Wells Masters 1000 was canceled by the organizers, in a statement on Monday. The first case of coronavirus was detected in Coachella Valley, where the event was to take place. "There is too great a risk [...] to public health, [...] to organize a gathering of this size," said David Agus, professor of medicine and biomedical engineering at the University of Southern California.
EcoTrail and the Eiffel Tower Vertical postponed
The Vertical of the Eiffel Tower, the race on the stairs of the Iron Lady, will not take place this Wednesday. The management of the Parisian building has decided not to take any risks. 110 participants from 26 countries were expected to climb the 695 steps to the second floor. In a press release, the organizers say they are "fully mobilized to find a carry-over solution", which they hope to be able to "communicate as soon as possible". During the day, the entire EcoTrail in Paris, a race between roads and paths, which ended at the Eiffel Tower next weekend, was postponed.
The lighting of the Olympic flame without audience
The torch lighting ceremony for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (July 24 - August 9) will take place on Thursday in Ancient Olympia. It will take place behind closed doors as decided by the Greek Olympic Committee. The Olympic torch will be lit during a ceremony on a reduced scale, before a seven-day relay in the country, which will end with a handover ceremony with the organizers of the Tokyo Olympic Games on March 19.
