Football: Coronavirus

(asked on 20th November 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what comparative assessment he has made of the effect of the autumn 2020 covid-19 lockdown restrictions on (a) women's and (b) men's elite football development; and what comparative assessment he has made of the effect of that lockdown on the ability of (i) women and (ii) men at professional football clubs under the age of 18 to continue playing.


Answered by
Nigel Huddleston Portrait
Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
This question was answered on 25th November 2020

The Government has worked closely with the football authorities throughout the pandemic. The strict COVID protocols that both men’s and women’s elite football could enforce, has enabled them to continue training and playing matches during the period of national restrictions.

Subject to football’s application of the current regulations, youth talent football may continue where the individuals are aged 15 and above and on a development pathway, or where delivered in a genuine educational setting. The fact that some girls’ academies could not operate alongside comparable boys academies has highlighted, once again, the need to set these academies on an equal footing, with regards to funding and resources, in the future.

I met with Baroness Campbell from the Football Association on 18 November where we discussed this issue. On 26 November I will be meeting CEO of Women in Football, Jane Purdon, to find out what more can be done to help the women's game.

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