Coronavirus: EPL to lock out over 70s from match venues

The Premier League is considering banning over 70s at its matches over coronavirus fears – as the outbreak continues to have an impact on the sporting schedule.

Sports authorities and broadcasters will meet on Monday to discuss contingency plans to cope with the killer disease as the number of people who have tested positive for coronavirus in the UK hits 164.

Measures expected to be discussed at the meeting include playing fixtures behind closed doors – as has been done in other European leagues like Italy and Morocco – or postponing matches until after the virus has peaked.

A range of sports have had to take action to prevent the spread of the virus, with postponements hitting the Guinness Six Nations, Formula One and Serie A among others.

With spectacles such as Euro 2020, the Olympics and golf’s majors on the horizon, many could face the impact.

In just football alone six Serie A games were postponed last weekend, as were the midweek Coppa Italia semi-finals second leg, and now top-flight fixtures in Italy will be played behind closed doors until April 3.

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UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin remains optimistic this summer’s Euro 2020 – which is scheduled to be held in 12 cities across the continent – will go ahead as planned. The Swiss Football League has been suspended until March 23.

Pre-season matches at the International Champions Cup scheduled to take place in Asia have also been postponed, while Scotland boss Steve Clarke decided not to travel to the Nations League draw in Amsterdam as it was deemed ‘an unnecessary risk’.