English football chiefs have been criticized for postponing all matches this weekend after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, calling the decision “a missed opportunity” to pay tribute to the country’s longest-serving monarch “Admitted. Following the death of the Queen at the age of 96 on Thursday, the Premier League opted to cancel this weekend’s fixtures in consultation with the British government. Football chiefs were told Friday by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport that there is no compulsion to cancel or postpone sporting events during the national mourning period.
But the Premier League felt it was the right move to honor the Queen for her “extraordinary life and contribution to the nation”.
The second-tier championship, as well as League One and Two, followed the Premier League in postponing this weekend’s matches.
It was not only professional football, as all amateur Saturday and Sunday leagues across the UK, including youth football, were cancelled.
However, England’s third Test against South Africa began on Saturday after the England and Wales Cricket Board called off play on the first day and the second was postponed due to the death of the Queen.
The decider of the series was held at the Test Oval for three days, with a minute’s silence in memory of the Queen and the first rendition of ‘God Save the King’ at a sporting event – Britain’s now changed national anthem. . Charles III is the new emperor.
Other sports have also resumed this weekend, with Premiership rugby union fixtures, Super League games, the PGA Championship golf tournament and Sunday’s Great North Run all scheduled.
Horse racing, the sport to which the Queen was most closely associated, will resume on Sunday with St Lager, one of five English Classics and which was won by her horse Dunfermline in 1977, the feature race in Doncaster.
Liverpool and former England striker Peter Crouch Questioning the temporary shutdown of football, tweeted: “I know it’s only one game and some things are huge, but imagine all our games went ahead this weekend.
“Black armband, silence observed, national anthem, royal band playing etc. Millions of people around the world watch? Isn’t it a better farewell?”
‘Ridiculous decision’
Manchester United, West Ham and Arsenal all paid tribute to the Queen by wearing black bands and observing a minute’s silence in their European matches on Thursday evening.
West Ham fans also sang ‘God Save the Queen’ throughout their match against the FCSB at London Stadium.
The opportunity to show equal respect to the rest of English football has been denied by the postponement.
Television personality Piers Morgan, a noted Arsenal fan, wrote on social media: “Ridiculous decision. Sporting events must go ahead. A) The Queen loved the game and B) Great to see/hear the huge crowd singing the national anthem in tribute To His Majesty, as the West Ham fans did brilliantly last night.’
Former Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville replied: “I agree with Pierce. The game can do better than the respect the Queen deserves.”
Fans were equally dismayed at being denied the opportunity to pay tribute to the Queen.
A statement from the Football Supporters Association said: “We believe football is at its best when it brings people together in times of great national importance – be it moments of joy or moments of mourning.
“Our view, which we shared with football officials, is that most supporters would love to go to games this weekend and pay respect to the Queen along with their fellow fans.
“Not everyone would agree, so there was no right decision for football officials, but many supporters would feel it was an opportunity to pay their special tribute to football.”
Football Association President Debbie Hewitt, who was involved in Friday’s meetings with Gov., defended the decision.
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“It’s a great example of football working in unity. We all 100 percent agree it was the right thing to do to pay our respects,” she said.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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