CELEBRITY
Following frightening ill-health; what happens to sport if the Queen dies including Premier League plan
Queen Elizabeth II is under medical supervision at Balmoral after doctors raised concern about her health.
Buckingham Palace issued a rare statement on Her Majesty The Queen’s health status this afternoon after her doctors had raised concern.
The Queen is in currently comfortable at Balmoral and under medical supervision.
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall have travelled to Balmoral, while the Duke of Cambridge is also on his way.
A Palace spokesperson said: “Following further evaluation this morning, the Queen‘s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision.
The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral.”
Queen Elizabeth II has reigned for over 70 years, outlasting 12 Prime Ministers and 14 Presidents.
The Queen, 96, celebrated her Platinum Jubilee this year but there have been longstanding concerns over her health and mobility. Her Majesty missed the Royal Ascot for the first time in 70 years this year.
What happens to sport in the UK if the Queen dies?
The planning around the Queen’s death is known as Operation London Bridge and it is a hugely detailed plan that is put in place from the moment she passes away.
And there are implications to UK sporting events.
The Premier League will be led by the DCMS (Department for Culture, Media and Sport) guidance if the Queen dies but footballing fixtures during the weekend of her tragic passing are almost certain to be scrapped.
This includes the English top-flight, EFL, SPL, and Irish and Welsh league games with fixtures postponed – this is expected to be replicated to semi-pro and amateur sporting events.
There also also confirmed protocols in place around horse racing and cricket. If the Queen during Royal Ascot, the meet will be scrapped.
The Marylebone Cricket Club is said to hold insurance for a similar outcome if she passes away during an England Test match at Lord’s.
After the death of George VI in 1952, rugby and hockey fixtures were called off, while football matches went ahead. Fans sang Abide With Me and the national anthem before kick off at matches.
The National Theatre will close if the news breaks before 4pm, and stay open if not. All games, including golf, will be banned in the Royal Parks.
Following Princess Diana’s death on Sunday August 31 in 1997, the Liverpool vs Newcastle United Premier League match scheduled to kick off later that day was postponed.
Football League fixtures the following weekend were moved to avoid clashing with Diana’s funeral. The Premier League was on an international break.
Prince Charles would become King in the event she passes and he will address the nation in a televised broadcast, usually on the day after a passing.
The Prime Minister, Liz Truss, will hold an audience with Charles, while the Ministry of Defence will organise gun salutes and a minute of silence will be held across the country.
Her death would trigger an official 12-day period of national mourning with all Union flags flown at half mast.
–MEN
Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo crossed one billion followers across his social media accounts, aided by his newly-launched YouTube channel that has attracted more than 60 million subscribers in just over three weeks.
Ronaldo, who scored his 900th career goal last week to help Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 in the Nations League, is the first human being to reach a billion followers on social media, global media reports said.
“We’ve made history, one billion followers! This is more than just a number, it’s a testament to our shared passion, drive, and love for the game and beyond,” Ronaldo posted on X.
“You’ve been with me every step of the way, through all the highs and the lows. This journey is our journey… thank you for believing in me, for your support, and for being part of my life.”
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid player reached the milestone with over 639 million followers on Instagram, 170 million on Facebook and 113 million on X.
The 39-year-old topped Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes this year, with off-field earnings of $60 million, boosted by his large social media following.
Ronaldo’s club Al-Nassr will host Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.
-Reuters
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo launched his YouTube channel on Wednesday and hundreds of thousands of subscribers signed up within a couple of hours.
The 39-year-old five-times Ballon D’Or winner plays for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr.
“The wait is over. My @YouTube channel is finally here! SIUUUbscribe and join me on this new journey,” Ronaldo posted on his social media accounts.
A couple of hours after posting his first video, 1.69M subscribers had joined he channel.
Ronaldo has 112.5 million followers on the X platform, 170 million on Facebook and 636 million on Instagram.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United player is preparing for his team’s Saudi Pro League opener against Al-Raed on Thursday.
-Reuters
Inter Miami will be the last club Argentina captain Lionel Messi plays for, the 36-year-old forward said on Wednesday, adding he feels “a little bit scared” at the thought of the day he decides to retire.
Messi, a World Cup winner with Argentina in 2022, has a contract with the Major League Soccer side until 2025 following his arrival last summer after a spell with French champions Paris St Germain.
“Inter Miami will be my last club. I love playing football. I enjoy everything even more because I am aware that there is less and less left,” Messi told ESPN.
“I’m not ready to leave football. I’ve done this all my life, I love playing football, I enjoy training, the day-to-day, the matches… And yes, there’s always a little bit of fear that it’s all over.”
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi is preparing with his national team to defend their Copa America title, with the tournament kicking off on June 20 in the United States.
Argentina will take on Canada in the opening match before facing Group A rivals Chile on June 25 and Peru four days later.
-Reuters
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