Bayern Munich fans have protested the ban and postponement of football matches after Queen Elizabeth II’s death. Recall that football matches in the English, Scottish and Irish Leagues were called off as a mark of respect for the late Queen.
Queen Elizabeth II, 96, died on September 8, 2022, after a brief illness, as revealed by the Royal Family. Condolences from reputable bodies and high-profile individuals began to pour in after the news of her demise swept the online space.
Irish League were the first to announce an immediate postponement of their scheduled fixtures to honor the late Queen. England’s lower division, the Championships followed suit before other lower division Leagues joined.
The Premier League finally joined other Leagues and suspended all match week seven fixtures. Although the decision to postpone match week seven fixtures did not augur well for global fans of Europe’s most glamorous football League, they had to decide on a sign of respect for the late Queen.
A statement issued by the football organizing body stated clearly that the decision to postpone the matches was a way of paying homage and joining the rest of the British citizens to mourn the late Queen.
It could be recalled that while the UK government endorsed national mourning, the Westminster government made it clear that the Premier League will not be coerced into postponing its fixtures as Britain mourns the Queen; the decision was left in the hands of the league body.
A few hours after the Westminster government clarified its position on the call to postpone matches, the Premier League issued a statement suspending the scheduled fixtures for matchweek seven.
Manchester United’s Europa League fixture against Real Sociedad took place amid the national mourning, but a minute of silence was observed to honor the later Queen.
In a subsequent development, more matches were set to be postponed as the Royal family began preparations for the Queen’s burial. ‘Operation London Bridge, developed and revised in 1960, was initiated with the rigors of burial rituals to be observed.
Due to this, Chelsea vs Liverpool matches were postponed, including Manchester United vs Leeds. More games were postponed with the Premier League reissuing a statement of confirmation. The latter postponement was attributed to the attendant security issues, which will mar those fixtures if played in the build-up to the Queen’s burial.
The Premier League confirmed that the second postponement followed consultation with the Premier League Policing Units and other relevant stakeholders who raised security concerns at match venues.
The decision to postpone those matches did not augur well for most football fans. The Premier League is Europe’s most followed football League.
In Champions League Matchday two clash with Barcelona, Bayern Munich fans demonstrated their disapproval of the postponed matches with banners that read;
“Last minute match delays and ban because of a Royal death?”
The fans, thrilled by a crucial 2-0 win over Barcelona, unveiled the protest banner to register their displeasure over the development.
English Premier League returns on September 16, 2022, but the postponed matches are yet to be rescheduled as of the time of publishing this report.
