New Zealand to allow fans back into stadiums

The public could be allowed back to live events as early as next Monday in time for the start of the Super Rugby Aotearoa tournament.

New Zealand.- Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will decide on Monday whether to let fans back into stadiums for professional sports games, as the country continues to east Covid-19 restrictions.

The NZ government is considering taking country’s alert level down to level one, which would mean it could fully reopen sports stadiums. It is currently at level two, which allows mass events of up to 100 people only.

Ardern said they were working with sports events organizers and stadiums on the implementation of contact tracing measures ahead of their reopening so that any contacts that lead to new Covid-19 case may be traced.

She said: “At level 1 all current rules on businesses and services are lifted. Sports and concert stadiums can be sold out.”

“For those larger events it is a matter of preparedness for us. We may be confident that we’re an environment where we do not have Covid-19 in circulation.”

Professional sport returned to New Zealand this week with the NZ Premier League Tennis tournament played behind closed doors at Auckland’s Albany Stadium, but the most anticipated tournament in the country is the Super Rugby Aotearoa, which is set to begin on June 13.

New Zealand has not reported any new Covid-19 in more than 12 days and had only one active case at the moment.

However, statistics show that gambling declined in the country during the its brief period of lockdown.