Major sporting bodies have written a joint letter to Boris Johnson and other party leaders, collectively backing the idea of Covid passports to enable full stadiums at events this summer.
The FA, Scottish football, Premier League, EFL, Wimbledon, Lawn Tennis Association England and Wales Cricket Board and Silverstone have made clear that the return of crowds after May 17 is currently based on social distancing, which means venues will struggle to increase capacities above 25 per cent.
The open letter was published on Thursday night after the FA told UEFA that Wembley will be able to operate at a quarter capacity for each of England’s group games at Euro 2020 – allowing 22,500 fans to attend.
It is hoped that Wembley will be at least half full for the semi-finals, but the dream of a 90,000-capacity crowd for the final will only be possible with some form of Covid passport.
Prime Minister Johnson confirmed this week that a certification app to prove if people have been vaccinated or tested negative for coronavirus is being considered as a way to help crowds return to events from June 21.
The government’s proposals have been criticised by Conservative MPs and opposition parties, with Labour and SNP leaders Keir Starmer and Ian Blackford both saying they do not support the plans.
However, sports governing bodies have now piled pressure on politicians to vote in favour of Covid certificates by describing the scheme as a ‘credible option’ for major events, which can help ‘end sport’s financial crisis’.
The sports’ governing bodies have underlined that the passport must include testing for coronavirus, as well as immunity, so people who cannot, or don’t want to have the vaccine, can still attend events if they haven’t got Covid.
And they suggest the use of passports should be time limited.
“All of our sports can see the benefit that a Covid certification process offers in getting more fans safely back to their sport as quickly as possible.
“We know that our stadia can only be fully filled with an assurance process,” the group stated in the letter.