RB Salzburg win Austrian Uniqa OFB Cup PAGE 11 SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2020 UK authorises F1 season to open in return of live sport AFP Austria after government LONDON THE British government has approved the return of domestic competitive sport behind closed doors from June 1. backs Spielberg double act Major professional com- petitions have been shut down since March because of the coronavirus. But Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Oliver Dow- den, issuing the govern- ment’s ‘phase three’ guid- ance, said Saturday: “The wait is over. Live British sport will shortly be back on in safe and carefully con- I’m delighted to One of the logistical trolled environments.” announce today that challenges is getting Horse racing is set to be the government has everyone tested and the first major sport back in published guidance cleared to enter the action at Newcastle on Mon- which allows racing environment. day, with the first Classic competitive sport to meeting of the season, fea- resume behind Ross Brawn, turing the 2,000 Guineas at closed doors from F1 managing director Newmarket, on June 6. Monday (June 1) at Premier League football the earliest is scheduled to restart on June 17. Oliver Dowden, The guidance, drawn up Culture, Media and Sport in consultation with public Secretary health officials and governing bodies, forms the third stage of British sport’s return from must be placed in isolation. lockdown. Movement channels will Stage two, which al- be established at grounds, lowed for close-contact and while social distancing must competitive training for be maintained “where pos- elite athletes, was published sible” -- even for substitutes last Monday. sitting on a bench, while Sport has now moved players have been warned closer to resuming, with against celebrations with Dowden telling a Downing their team-mates. Street press conference on Meanwhile dressing Saturday: “I’m delighted to room use is to be kept to a announce today that the gov- minimum, although com- ernment has published guid- petitors will still be allowed ance which allows competi- to use showers. tive sport to resume behind Premier League chief ex- closed doors from Monday ecutive Richard Masters said (June 1) at the earliest.” they “welcomed” Dowden’s It will now be up to in- statement, adding: “We have F1’s belated season-opener will be staged in Austria at the Spielberg circuit on July 5. (AFP) dividual sports to carry out provisionally planned to re- their own risk assessments, start the Premier League on AFP practice was due to begin. Its remote location made not too close to a metropolis.” month with Spain’s La Liga, with Dowden saying they 17 June, but there is still much VIENNA Melbourne was one of 10 the Red Bull Ring circuit a The 2020 F1 season was Italy’s Serie A and England’s “know their sport best”. work to be done to ensure the races either cancelled or post- “logical” location to stage to have featured a record 22 Premier League kick-starting As well as ensuring no safety of everyone involved.” FORMULA One’s truncated poned, yet F1 boss Chase Car- the season’s first two races, races, now it is set to be one their interrupted seasons over spectators are present, sports But while accepting coronavirus-hit season will ey believes a 15-18 race season F1 managing director Ross of the shortest campaigns for the next few weeks. bodies must also fulfil sev- further consultations with finally get underway with the is still possible. Brawn said this month. over a decade. While there may have been eral other conditions if their clubs, players and manag- Austrian Grand Prix on July 5, But Silverstone’s hopes of With a local airport, the Carey outlined the blue- no racing up to now there has events are to go ahead. ers were still needed, Mas- the Austrian government an- also staging back-to-back rac- races can be held in an isolat- print for the rehashed season been plenty going on behind Everyone entering a ven- ters said: “If all goes well, we nounced on Saturday. es after Austria are in the bal- ed environment, essential in this month, involving addi- the scenes, with Carlos Sainz ue must be screened for the will be thrilled to resume the The Spielberg circuit has ance after the British govern- the fight against the pandemic tional European races through replacing Sebastian Vettel at coronavirus and anyone sus- 2019/20 season in just over also been given the green light ment insisted that all arrivals that has killed less than 700 the traditional August break. Ferrari for 2021 and Daniel pected of having COVID-19 two weeks’ time.” to stage a second race the fol- in the country undergo a two- people in Austria, and more “We will then plan to race Ricciardo joining McLaren. lowing weekend. week quarantine period. than 364,000 worldwide. in Asia and the Americas in Given the massive finan- “The two Formula One Anschober added a caveat September, October, Novem- cial hit teams have taken and races on July 5 and 12 at Spiel- to Saturday’s statement, in- ‘AUSTRIA FITS THE BILL’ ber before finishing in the Gulf the worry that some might go berg will be staged without sisting the season’s belated re- “One of the logistical chal- in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi in bust, the proposed all-new spectators,” announced Aus- start would only go ahead if all lenges is getting everyone December,” he said. technical landscape due to be trian Health Minister Rudolf the health assurances made by tested and cleared to enter the He added: “We expect the implemented next season has Anschober. F1 were fulfilled. racing environment,” Brawn early part of the calendar to been pushed back to 2022. He said that the two races “In addition to strict hy- explained in an F1 Nation be races without fans, but we And a spending cap of had been approved after F1 giene measures the plan also podcast. hope to be able to allow fans $145 million has been intro- organisers “had presented a involves regular testing and “Once we do that, it’s very to attend in the latter part of duced for next year in an at- complete and professional health check-ups for teams attractive to keep everyone in the year.” tempt to stem the bleeding, plan” to combat the spread of and all the other employees,” that environment, within that F1’s tentative emergence with teams like McLaren mak- COVID-19. he said. biosphere that we want to cre- from coronavirus lockdown ing significant job cuts. The F1 season was thrown “The crucial element will ate, for another race. follows the path trodden cau- One man itching for the into chaos with the cancella- be the close coordination be- “Austria fits that bill very tiously by other sports. season to begin is Lewis Ham- British horse racing will be the first major sport to resume its tion of the traditional curtain- tween the organisers and the well. It has a local airport right Germany’s Bundesliga be- ilton, who is hoping to equal season after the UK government paved the way for the return of raising Australian Grand Prix regional and local health au- next to the circuit, where peo- came the first ofE urope’s top Michael Schumacher’s record competitive action. (AFP) in March only hours before thorities”,” he added. ple can charter planes into. It’s football leagues to return this of seven world titles. Havertz fires Leverkusen third with Freiburg winner German becomes first player in the history of the league to reach 35 goals before turning 21 AFP under intense pressure from They are also three points And chasing an equaliser midfielder is staying quiet BERLIN Dominique Heintz. ahead of Borussia Moe- late on, Nils Petersen forced about his future out of respect The dynamic German was nchengladbach in fifth ahead Hradecky to save the three to his current side. EXCITING youngster Kai already the youngest player of their match with Union points for Leverkusen with Leverkusen, mean- Havertz broke another Bun- to reach 50 and 100 appear- Berlin on Sunday. a fine first time strike that while, have made clear they desliga record on Friday af- ances in the German top flight Havertz’s goal was the the goalkeeper did well to will not be selling for any- ter scoring the winner in a and became the youngest ever first shot on target in a large- tip away. thing less than €100 million 1-0 victory at Freiburg which player to score a league goal ly drab encounter in which The Germany interna- (£90m/$111m). moved Bayer Leverkusen for Leverkusen in 2017. Freiburg could have snatched tional is expected to be near- Havertz has been with into third place. Havertz’s goal was his at least a point. ing the end of his career with Leverkusen since the age of 11 Havertz, 20, became the fifth in his four appearance Lucas Hoeler missed a Leverkusen, as Europe’s top and is contracted to the club first player in the history of since the Bundesliga returned glaring opportunity for the teams have been linked in re- until 2022. the league to reach 35 goals from its coronavirus-enforced hosts two minutes before cent months. Leverkusen moved up before turning 21 years old break and puts Leverkusen a the break, pushing wide Bayern Munich, Liver- to third in the table with Leverkusen’s German midfielder Kai Havertz (right) and Freiburg’s eight minutes after the break, point ahead of fourth-placed when sent through one-on- pool, Barcelona and Juven- the win on Friday, overtak- German defender Dominique Heintz vie for the ball during their when he combined with Leon RB Leipzig, who travel to Co- one with Leverkusen stopper tus are all said to be chasing ing RB Leipzig, who face Koln Bundesliga match in Freiburg on Friday.