From The Times :
Thursday September 08 2022, 8.00pm, The Times
Sporting events across Britain have been cancelled after the death of the Queen as emergency talks take place to decide whether other fixtures should go ahead over the weekend.
There will be no play in England’s deciding Test against South Africa at The Oval on Friday, while all race meetings have also been cancelled. A decision on the remainder of the Test has still to be confirmed but there is the possibility it could be extended by a day – there will be full refunds for ticket holders.
Football matches this weekend may also be called off, with the Premier League holding a clubs meeting on Friday morning and the EFL holding talks with the government on Thursday. There are several EFL matches scheduled for Friday evening and if the advice is for those to be postponed then it is likely that the whole weekend’s matches will follow.
There may also be sensitivities around sporting events taking place on Sunday given that the Queen was the head of the Church of England. The Great North Run is due to take place on Sunday.
However, sports have also been told by the government that the Palace is keen to avoid a lengthy period without fixtures and events.
The ECB said in a statement: “Following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Friday’s play between England and South Africa at the Oval, along with all scheduled matches in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, will not take place. For fixtures beyond Friday, updates will be provided in due course.”
Racing at Southwell and Chelmsford on Thursday evening was abandoned and the British Horseracing Authority also announced the meetings scheduled for Friday — including the third day of the St Leger meeting at Doncaster — have also been cancelled.
Racing has also been cancelled for Friday but the St Leger Stakes could still go ahead on Saturday
An announcement will be made on Friday regarding plans for Saturday, where the showpiece St Leger Stakes at Doncaster is scheduled to run as the final British Classic of the season.
Thursday’s Premiership Cup rugby match between Northampton Saints and Saracens was called off, while Friday’s season-opening Gallagher Premiership games — Bristol v Bath and Sale Sharks v Northampton Saints — may also follow.
The BHA said in a statement: “All of British Racing is in mourning today following the passing of Her Majesty The Queen. Her Majesty has been one of the greatest and most influential supporters in the history of horse racing. Her passion for racing and the racehorse shone brightly throughout her life, not only through her close involvement in breeding and racing horses, but in her roles as a patron of The Jockey Club and Thoroughbred Breeders Association, and as the figurehead of Royal Ascot.
“From her first-ever winner Monaveen, through stars such as Carrozza and Highclere, to the unforgettable Estimate, Her Majesty The Queen has helped to shape the breed and contributed to moments on the track that will go down in sporting folklore.
“It is right, therefore, that all racing is suspended for today and tomorrow as we begin to grieve Her Majesty’s passing and remember her extraordinary life and contribution to our sport and our nation.”
Play was also suspended at Wentworth at the BMW PGA Championship after news of the Queen’s death. Officials have confirmed that the fairways will be empty until Saturday at the earliest.
The US Open tennis will pay tribute to the Queen with a moment of silence and a photo montage ahead of the first women’s semi-final on Thursday evening.
In Switzerland, FC Zurich announced the Queen’s death and held a moment of silence before the second half in the Europa League match against Arsenal.
Manchester United’s home clash with Real Sociedad went ahead, with the club saying in a statement: “Following direction from the FA and Uefa, tonight’s Uefa Europa League fixture against Real Sociedad will take place as planned at Old Trafford.
“A minute’s silence will be held before kick-off which will allow the teams, match officials and everyone in attendance to pay their respects to Her Majesty, The Queen. Both teams will wear black armbands and the flags at Old Trafford will fly at half-mast as a sign of our utmost respect.”
West Ham United will also play FCSB in their scheduled Europa Conference League match, with players wearing armbands and a minute’s silence to be held before kick-off.
The Premier League said it was “deeply saddened” by the Queen’s death. “Our thoughts and condolences are with The Royal Family and everyone around the world mourning the loss of Her Majesty,” the league said.
The Rugby Football Union posted its own tribute which read: “On behalf of the rugby union community in England, all at the RFU are very saddened to hear of the death of Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II and offer our condolences to the whole Royal Family at this time.”
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The BBC dropped its coverage of athletics’ Diamond League final in Zurich to run programmes commemorating the Queen.
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