Cardiff City's Bid To Allow Fans Back Into Stadium Rejected By Welsh Government
A bid to allow a reduced number of football supporters in to Cardiff City's pre-season friendly has been rejected by the Welsh Government.
The Bluebirds were hoping to allow some fans in for their friendly against Cheltenham Town at the Cardiff City Stadium on the 1st of September.
Unfortunately that now won't happen. A statement by the Cardiff City Supporters' Club has confirmed that the club's bid has been rejected. Fans have obviously been disappointed with the decision.
BBC Sport reports that Cardiff proposed a test event to the Welsh Government, for their match against Cheltenham Town. The Supporters' Club confirmed a 40-page document was sent by the club to the Welsh Government with the details of this.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, Cardiff City Supporters' Club's Vince Alm wrote that the club’s submission included contributions from academics, the English Football League (EFL), the WRU, Swansea City, Glamorgan Cricket Club and the FAW, and other sporting bodies and clubs.
The statement by the supporters explains how the club were proposing to open only one stand to let in just 2,000 fans as a trial, when the R rate would be "relatively low in the country so they could prepare and learn from the experience".
First Minister Mark Drakeford spoke to WalesOnline on Friday morning, saying professional sport events could expect the return of spectators in the autumn, as long as essential conditions are met.
He outlined a series of pilot events for small-scale sport and the arts later this month, with up to 100 people in the audience.
A statement from the Welsh Government said it "recognises the value of the events sector to Wales and how cultural, sports and business events are a vital part of the visitor economy and one of the last sectors left to re-open".
For large-scale events, like Wales rugby Tests, PRO14 games, Cardiff and Swansea City matches, Mr Drakeford said Wales would be looking at the success of trial events in England to help make a decision.
"We are going to learn from the broader sport pilots in England," he said.
"They were postponed because of the flare up in the north of England. They will be having larger numbers in some football, cricket and racing events. We have somebody from the Welsh Government who is part of the group overseeing that.
"We will learn the lessons and, if it is possible for professional sport or professional theatre to have a larger number of people safely, we will learn the lessons from those pilots."
