Death of Elizabeth II: sport at a standstill in Great Britain

A minute of silence was observed during the Europa League match, Thursday, September 8, between Manchester United and Real Sociedad. DAVE THOMPSON / AP As soon as the official announcement of the death of the Queen of England, Elizabeth II, Thursday, September 8, the sporting world got in tune with an entire nation. Read also: Death of Elizabeth II, live: Emmanuel Macron salutes a “queen of valor”; cannons fired throughout the United Kingdom The organizers of the Cycling Tour of Great Britain, which was to end on Sunday on the Isle of Wight, have thus decided to close it on Thursday evening, at the end of the fifth stage . The PGA Golf Championship, which took place in Wentworth, near London, was also suspended from Thursday evening and it was then confirmed that there would be no match on Friday. For their part, British horse racing officials immediately suspended competitions that were scheduled for this weekend. What the Scottish Rugby Federation has also done: all domestic competitions scheduled for this weekend have been canceled, including the preparation match for the Women’s World Cup against Spain scheduled for Sunday. Prior to this, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said Friday’s match between England and South Africa would not take place. In football, the English Premier League initially said on Thursday that they were “deeply saddened” by the Queen’s passing, but had not made a decision on their next fixtures. Friday morning, she decided to postpone all the matches scheduled for this weekend. “In honor of his extraordinary life and contribution to the nation, and as a sign of respect, this weekend’s Premier League matchday will be postponed, including Monday evening’s fixture,” the statement read. The British government has announced the suspension of all sporting, cultural and political events during the ten-day mourning period. Waiting for a decision on the European football cups The Championship, the 2nd English football division, must also make a decision on its weekend matches, but it has already postponed the two meetings scheduled for Friday. Thursday evening, the Europa League match, one of the European football competitions, in which Manchester United participated (against Real Sociedad) took place. A minute’s silence was observed before kick-off and the players wore black armbands. UEFA, which organizes European football competitions, must decide on the organization of the next matches of the European cups, in particular those planned on British soil. The American Tennis Association announced that there would be “a moment of silence and a photo montage” in tribute to the Queen during the US Open. The British Wimbledon Grand Slam conveyed its “deepest sympathy and [ses] sincere condolences to the Royal Family on the sad passing of Her Majesty The Queen.” The World with AFP