Dunfermline Athletic

Football Fans must return. What is the delay ?

Date: Sunday, 9th May 2021

This week saw the biggest Fife Derby ever as Dunfermline Athletic and Raith Rovers fought out the Premiership Play Offs.

Both stadia should have been rocking with five figure passionate crowds. There was little atmosphere. Fans watched on the clubs` live streams or listened on radio.

THIS HAS NOW BECOME INTOLERABLE, 14 long months after the WHO confirmed that this virus does not transmit outdoors.

The virus has to navigate wind, rain, sleet, snow, heat, humidity, to leap between people. UV from sunlight destroys the virus particles. It does not survive on a hard surface. Indeed, to be in any danger, someone in front of you would have to cough directly into your face at the very moment you inhale with no mask.

One can google numerous academic studies from the UK, USA, Canada, EU, Russia and China to find similar evidence. In one Chinese study 76,000 patients were examined and not one got it from airborne transmission.

On that basis sailing, fishing, tennis, golf, kayaking, bowls, outdoor swimming, putting, all returned. Football and Rugby were sidelined.

The Scottish Government has said 500 fans can attend outdoor sporting events from 17th May Level 2 and your local council can agree more.

THIS IS SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE. What was the point of 300 fans attending 22,000 capacity Pittodrie or 700 at 64,000 seated Murrayfield over 6 months ago, given there were no similar experiments nor any subsequent matches with increasing crowds?
How is TRNSMT going ahead?

The reality is that, last June, half a million turned up at Bournemouth beach and there was no spike. Nor was there at the Liverpool, or Leeds Utd or Rangers` Championship winning celebrations yet all attracted near hysterical, hostile Newspaper headlines.

The Scottish Government has been commendably cautious although; as we are not yet independent, we could not follow Prof Devi Sridhar`s advice and emulate similar sized Denmark, (who have had 2491 deaths to our 7660), when they were the first to shut down and close their borders and first to reopen.

Now pressure will mount on Holyrood as England sees fans at the FA Cup Final, Ascot, Wimbledon, Cricket Test matches, the Grand Prix, 10,000 at EPL games, and, ironically, Scotland at Wembley!

Chairmen like Ross McCarthur are not asking for packed stadia in the short term but socially distanced gates with relevant hygiene measures and stewarding.

Away fans will not be allowed to travel but fans can watch their clubs` live PPV stream today.

Fans in beanies, gloves and scarves will be safe with no hospitality on offer and staged arrival and dispersal. 43% of Scottish club income comes through the turnstile and clubs are about to put their Season Tickets on sale. It is imperative fans are allowed to return.

SP



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