Covid-19: Bulgaria re-opens outdoor sports matches to spectators
Bulgaria’s Health Minister Kostadin Angelov issued an order on August 4 allowing the re-opening of outdoor sports matches to spectators.
Indoor sports matches remain closed to spectators, according to Angelov’s order, posted on the website of the Health Ministry.
In the case of outdoor sports matches, no more than 50 per cent of seats may be occupied, there is a limit of 1000 people per sector in a stadium, and physical distancing of 1.5 metres must be maintained, the order says.
The order was issued after talks between Prime Minister Boiko Borissov, Sports Minister Krassen Kralev and Angelov.
This is the latest turnabout in Bulgaria’s anti-epidemic rules on sports matches since the two-month State of Emergency that began on March 13 and that since May 13 has been succeeded by an official Covid-19 epidemic declaration.
Angelov’s predecessor as Health Minister, Kiril Ananiev, allowed the resumption of domestic professional football matches as of June 5, subject to a limit of 30 per cent seating capacity.
On June 23, this was amended to 50 per cent of seating capacity and 1000 spectators per sector of a stadium.
Subsequently, the Professional Football League was fined 3000 leva after a major football match saw large-scale breaches of the anti-epidemic rules.
On July 10, Ananiev re-imposed the ban on spectators at sports matches.
(Main photo: Juan Carlos Arellano)
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