Northern Ireland restrictions won't affect elite sport

 

Elite sports have been exempted from new coronavirus restrictions in Northern Ireland.

New measures to try to combat the spread of Covid-19 will come into force on Friday and remain for four weeks, but while no indoor sport of any kind or organised contact sport involving household mixing will be permitted, elite sport has been given an exception.

A new three-tier system came into force in England on Wednesday, with areas designated as medium, high or very high alert, with the toughest measures in place in the latter category, although professional sport has been cleared to continue under all three tiers.

It means the measures shouldn't affect Ulster teams' participation in the concluding stages of the Allianz League or the Championship. 

"With the news that we got today, and with the announcement made by the First Minister Arlene Foster, we can confirm that elite sport is excluded from the latest restrictions," Ulster GAA Head of Operations, Stephen McGeehan  told RTE Sport.

"That exemption includes ourselves in the GAA, our under-17 and under-20 teams, and the ladies' Gaelic football and camogie associations.

"That's the confirmation we have received."

However,  the GAA’s Central Competitions Control Committee are due to meet today to decide on this weekend’s meeting of Fermanagh and Clare. 

Fermanagh, who have been badly hit by the coronavirus, had looked for the Ennis fixture to be postponed.