Calls for footy fans to be allowed at GMHBA Stadium

Despite no cases recorded in the region since October last year, questions remain around whether health officials will allow crowds at the footy in Geelong.

Health officials weighing up Victoria’s coronavirus restrictions are being urged to allow crowds at the footy in Geelong this week, with no cases recorded in the region since October last year.

As thousands of fans flock to stadiums interstate, in Europe and the US, no tickets are being sold for AFL games in the sport’s home state this weekend.

The league has moved its two Melbourne games to Tasmania and the Geelong Cats are currently scheduled to play the Western Bulldogs in an empty GMHBA Stadium.

There is a glimmer of hope for regional Victorians as public health officials work through what restrictions could ease by the week’s end.

A decision has yet to be made and a final call could come as late as Thursday, with those pushing for crowds to argue that Geelong and the regions are a low risk.

A decision on crowds at the Geelong home game won’t be made until Thursday.

It comes as thousands of fans flock to UEFA European Championship games and stadiums in the US pack out.

Cats coach Chris Scott told Fox Footy he could not understand why crowds may not be allowed.

“I don’t want to make a political statement here, but the ­regional areas are a long way away from the nearest Covid case in metropolitan Melbourne,” he said.

“It would be very disappointing if we can’t get some sort of advance on the current thinking at the moment with no crowds.”

There were positive cases at two AFL matches in Melbourne during the state’s latest outbreak but authorities have found no evidence these people spread the virus at the games.

Health Minister Martin Foley on Tuesday would not be drawn on whether the advice for footy crowds would change in regional Victoria.

“I wouldn’t want to commit to that,” he said.

“When the public health advice is in, we’ll be sharing that as soon as we possibly can. Every day the circumstances change.”

A game between England vs Croatia went ahead with 22,500 people despite a daily case average of 6150 in England.

A game between the Chicago Cubs and St Louis Cardinals went ahead with 39,095 people despite a daily case average of 319 in Illinois.

The French Open mens final between Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas went ahead with 5000 people despite a daily case average of 72 in Paris.

When asked about large football crowds in the UK, where hundreds of new cases are still being discovered, Mr Foley said it was not a like-for-like comparison.

“I can’t speak for what goes on in Glasgow,” he said.

“I do note that Britain has had tens of thousands of deaths … They’ve also got the highest rates for vaccinations for their adult population. We don’t have either of those ­circumstances.”

Committee for Geelong chief Jennifer Cromarty said that before the pandemic one Cats home game could add millions of dollars to the local economy.

“It is a really big part of our economy, which is why the state government has funded the stadium to the amount it has,” she said.

Geelong Chamber of Commerce chief Ben Flynn said restrictions were still hurting.

“There’s been no cases here and while we empathise with everyone in Melbourne we really are pushing hard so business can get back on their feet.”

Opposition sports spokeswoman Cindy McLeish urged the government to reconsider shutting out crowds.