BRUSSELS. The last matches of the European football championship are not to be played at Wembley. After the reservations of the European Commission, it is now the European Parliament that is asking, for reasons related to the COVID pandemic and the increase in Delta variant cases, to cancel the scheduled appointments and allocate them to another location.
It is the chairman of the Eurochamber’s Environment Committee, Pascal Canfin, who addresses the presidents of the three EU institutions, Parliament, Commission and Council, to put pressure on UEFA and the British government to review the Euro2020 calendar.
“Playing the last three games at Wembley stadium with an audience capacity of 75%, in the midst of a resurgence of cases, represents a health risk and a clear unnecessary risk”, is denounced in the document, where the leaders of EU institutions to put pressure on “the appropriate decisions are taken to protect our citizens from the new spread of Covid in Europe”.
The solution, for the parliamentarians of the Environment Committee, is clear: UEFA must “reconsider” the decision to hold the semifinals and final of the football championship in the London stadium. Alternatively, the highest European football organization and Downing Street are suggested to “re-evaluate health safety measures and decisions on capacity” of the facility. In order to avoid canceling the scheduled sporting events, it is essentially asked to limit the number of spectators, and to lower the threshold currently envisaged to 75% of the available seats, i.e. 60 thousand seats out of a total of 90 thousand.
The parliamentary initiative follows the hearing of the Commissioner for the Promotion of the European way of life, Margaritis Schinas. In the last days the member of the team von der Leyen had expressed “doubts” about the feasibility of playing the final matches of the football event for nations in London, due to the increase in the Delta variant cases. Moreover, the commissioner had pointed out, precisely because of the increase in infections, “the United Kingdom limits travel for its citizens”, a clear sign that on the other side of the Channel the authorities are aware that something is wrong. Hence the request to UEFA to “evaluate” the possibility of having Wembley play in a crowded stadium, followed today by Parliament.
The Commission confirms the willingness to work to review the billboard of the latest acts of European football. “We must remain vigilant, the virus continues to circulate like its variants,” recalls Stefaan de Keersmaecker, spokesperson responsible for public health and health issues. The pressure of the EU therefore grows.