Greeks shelve plans to lift fan ban as virus spikes

October 21 – Greece has dropped plans to allow fans back at sporting events and football matches, the country’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Tuesday. The measure forms parts of new tougher restrictions in Greece to combat and contain the coronavirus. 

At the end of this month, Greek authorities had planned to lift the ban on fans and allow up to 10% of stadium capacity to be filled, but that plan has been abandoned following a recent surge in coronavirus cases.

“Conducting the games even with a few spectators… would send a wrong message to citizens,” said the prime minister’s statement.

Greece has registered  26,469 coronavirus cases with 528 deaths according to the latest data from the Johns Hopkins University. Those figures are still much lower than in most European countries.

Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1735285207labto1735285207ofdlr1735285207owedi1735285207sni@o1735285207fni1735285207