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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU - 60,000 Fans at the Euros now!

46 replies

DadAManger · 23/06/2021 09:56

It was announced last night that under a "special and exciting" deal, London (Wembley) would play host to the semi-finals and final of the Euros now - 60,000 people at each match, using 80%+ of stadium capacity.

Apparently...only fans with two vaccinations (which is still not most under 30) will be allowed entry. But all those of us that have attended football internationals before know that it usually becomes a free-for-all (even if not admitted) beyond a certain point.

So 180,000 people into Wembley is fine, but my kids have had their end of year activities cancelled and my DD just had her "welcome" day to her new school cancelled. Then we had a case in the school last week, sending everyone back to school from home.

AIBU to think we should block anything more than the minimum attendance for this year only? Should we really fill our largest stadiums up to 80%+ capacity when so many of our kids are still suffering (and us along with them)? Is anyone else confused? I wonder what decision making is going on now.

I am a football fan and want this all to go back to normal, but I feel like we shoot ourselves in the foot every chance we get

OP posts:
Pedalpushers · 23/06/2021 10:00

There's no political incentive to protect school welcome days. The government will receive a huge boost in popularity from an international sporting event and that's their concern.

VariantL1130 · 23/06/2021 10:03

They will also allow 2500 UEFA VIPs to enter the country without having to quarantine to attend the match. Think sponsorship execs and the like.

I will no longer be keeping my children at home if they are identified as contacts. I'll be taking them to the beach every day.

Justcallmebebes · 23/06/2021 10:05

I think this, together with the G7 is just taking the piss now.

Meanwhile, my MIL who is in a nursing home has to be restricted to 1 x 30 minute visit once a week behind a Perspex screen with us wearing masks too, using a microphone to communicate. Just like a high security prison. She has Alzheimer's which has worsened in the last year so now doesn't recognise us and just wanders off. She's been double jabbed too as have we.

BBQ on beach for non quarantined overseas visitors - no problem. 60,000 in a stadium. Thousands travel to London. Again, no problem

Makes my blood boil

Blessex · 23/06/2021 10:06

Utterly ridiculous. Stop testing kids.

ChardonnaysPetDragon · 23/06/2021 10:07

it's utter madness.

Hestartedoffsowell · 23/06/2021 10:13

I'm so angry, just listening to music festival guy on BBC, Chris Smith, director of Womad, saying the festival industry is like the 'dead Badger in the road that everyone swerves to avoid' how can it possibly be in the balance as to whether that goes ahead on July 24th when football fans, Grand Prix etc can go ahead? My son is so upset that his end of year 13 bbq has been cancelled after not happening last year, that's it now it will never happen again. Just so mad.

Toomanypickles · 23/06/2021 10:21

It's very "special and exciting".

A superspreader event in a pandemic. In the face of all the bereavement, lives lost, lives on hold (I lost my dad), moments of all our lives we'll never get back, all the financial upheaval, all the lockdowns, etc etc.

I just don't have words.

LadyCatStark · 23/06/2021 10:25

So no kids allowed then if everyone has to be double jabbed? And no young people?

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 23/06/2021 10:32

Really shocking. I can’t believe they are allowing all these people to travel and having stadiums of people. On top of G7 it’s ridiculous.

Just more proof the govt doesn’t care about people in this country.

EvilPea · 23/06/2021 10:34

Its fucking ridiculous. I would have no problem with it, if there wasn't hypocrisy about things like secondary transition days going ahead, school settling days. All thats had to be cancelled, but this is ok???

No, its made me fucking angry.

SuperstoreFan · 23/06/2021 10:36

It's taking the piss, there's no way that all of the fans in attendance have received two jabs.

SofiaMichelle · 23/06/2021 10:40

@Blessex

Utterly ridiculous. Stop testing kids.
How does "Stop testing kids" help?
SlipperyDippery · 23/06/2021 10:42

I don’t have a problem with people going to the football. I believe the evidence from the pilots showed minimal spread.

The problem is the ridiculous restrictions which remain placed on places like care homes and schools which provides a rather galling contrast.

The answer is lift the restrictions elsewhere as well.

sirfredfredgeorge · 23/06/2021 10:44

There's nothing in law preventing your kids events though, they can continue, it is the school that is deciding to stop them.

Watchingyou2sleezes · 23/06/2021 10:45

@Blessex

Utterly ridiculous. Stop testing kids.
This.^ We now have the worst covid 'case' rate in Europe, absolutely nothing to do with the fact that we're testing far more people everyday than anywhere else in Europe...
SoupDragon · 23/06/2021 10:46

It is easy to manage a single event and monitor what happens afterwards. It is not so easy with thousands of small, unmonitored events.

Demelza82 · 23/06/2021 10:53

It's quite clear - it's a populist move and absolute madness

RainingZen · 23/06/2021 10:58

I am in my 40s. I feel so angry on behalf people in their teens, 20s and 30s, as well as all the children who are putting up with everything being cancelled.

It's complete madness and totally unfair to allow this Wembley deal to go ahead. Viruses don't make exceptions to suit politicians as we've seen with PCV-negative-tested players passing on the virus recently. We saw the same lunacy with Indian flights being allowed into the country and bringing a massive load of Delta variant in. When will they learn???

Just one bad decision after another and it is the young who suffer. Appalling.

I already decided I would never vote Tory again. I am so furious with this government I have no words left.

Samcro · 23/06/2021 10:59

@Justcallmebebes

I think this, together with the G7 is just taking the piss now.

Meanwhile, my MIL who is in a nursing home has to be restricted to 1 x 30 minute visit once a week behind a Perspex screen with us wearing masks too, using a microphone to communicate. Just like a high security prison. She has Alzheimer's which has worsened in the last year so now doesn't recognise us and just wanders off. She's been double jabbed too as have we.

BBQ on beach for non quarantined overseas visitors - no problem. 60,000 in a stadium. Thousands travel to London. Again, no problem

Makes my blood boil

yes . my adult dc is in a care home and we can only touch her if we test first and wear ppe. all double jabbed. yet I could go to a football match. fucking crazy and sick.
Muststopeating · 23/06/2021 11:05

New dads/birth partners still not allowed to stay with their partner and baby after birth but can sit next to 60,000 people at the football! Awesome!!!

Although to be fair on that one in Scotland the guidance has been fairly reasonable since at least November. The hospitals just seem to be ignoring it!

newnortherner111 · 23/06/2021 11:06

I think UEFA should have moved the final, Hungary was suggested. Neither Wales nor England will be there, and no-one from the participating countries other than expats will be able to attend.

Original poster
DadAManger · 23/06/2021 12:41

It's really frustrating as so many have pointed out.

The effect on the kids seems to be ignored at every turn. My DD is nervous about starting her new school and the welcome day was supposed to be a chance to meet others starting, tour the grounds and get a feel for the place. Cancelled because there was going to be a few hundred involved and too risky now.

My grandmother is also the nursing home, with dementia and having our visits through PPE and a large screen causes her even more confusion. But if she was a but more mobile, I could take her to join me with 60,000 football fans for the semis - no masks and zero f*cks given.

With this Government, it's not about us having hindsight - we have obvious foresight what will happen and of the stupidity and inconsistency of their decisions each time...

OP posts:
UrAWizHarry · 23/06/2021 12:52

If the stipulation is that everyone has to be double jabbed and traceable I'm struggling to see what the problem is, especially in an outdoor space.

Life has to go back to normal at some point.

BoomChicka · 23/06/2021 12:58

@SoupDragon

It is easy to manage a single event and monitor what happens afterwards. It is not so easy with thousands of small, unmonitored events.
I already queried this on another thread, but the final is the 11th July, restrictions are set to be lifted on the 19th - any monitoring after the event would last longer than 8 days wouldn't it? 8 days to test, track, monitor, compile data, analyse it and draw a conclusion that will influence the reopening of stadium events from 19th? Seems unlikely? And if it won't affect the reopening then what is the purpose of the pilots?