Crowds at Dubai sporting events will be permitted to return at 30% capacity

It was announced on Sunday night that a phased return of spectators to Dubai sporting events had been agreed. Getty Images

Crowds for sporting events in Dubai will be permitted to return at 30 per cent capacity.

It was announced on Sunday night that a phased return of spectators had been agreed.

Dubai Media Office confirmed that the Dubai Sports Council’s "health and safety protocols have resulted in the Council obtaining approval from [the Executive Council of Dubai] and the Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management for the return of spectators to sport events at a maximum of 30 per cent capacity."

Sports have been severely disrupted since the onset of the coronavirus in March.

Participation has been permitted to start again for many sports in recent months, but the staging of competitions has been restricted.

Arabian Gulf League football is back under way, but has been played out behind closed doors until this point.

The Dubai Rugby Sevens has been cancelled for the first time since it started 51 years ago, with domestic rugby still yet to return.

The move to permit the return of spectators comes six days after the conclusion of the Indian Premier League, which was played out in front of empty stands, as per Covid safety regulations.

Individual sports are yet to announce how the measures will affect them.

The next significant international events to be staged in the emirate are two European Tour golf events.

The season-ending DP World Tour Championship on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates (December 10-13) will this year be preceded by a tournament on the neighbouring Fire Course, to be known as the Golf in Dubai Championship Presented by DP World, from December 2-5.