Introduction
The European Championship, commonly known as the Euros, was supposed to be held in 2020, but it was postponed to June 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, even after the delay, the tournament was still met with unforeseen challenges that forced it to be interrupted. In this article, we will explore the reasons why the European Championship was interrupted.
The Christian Eriksen Incident
On June 12th, 2021, during the first half of Denmark’s match against Finland, Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch. The medical staff rushed to his aid, performing CPR and restarting his heart with a defibrillator. The match was immediately suspended, and Eriksen was rushed to the hospital. His collapse was later attributed to cardiac arrest, and the incident brought the tournament to a standstill.
Covid-19 Concerns
Despite precautions taken by the European football governing body, UEFA, several players and staff members tested positive for COVID-19. The Scottish and Czech Republic teams were hit particularly hard, with a number of their players forced to self-isolate. Other teams, such as Spain and Sweden, had players test positive shortly before or during the tournament’s opening games. These concerns raised questions about the tournament’s safety, and it became clear that UEFA had to act swiftly to address them.
Weather-Related Emergencies
The Euros also faced weather-related challenges that caused interruptions. The match between Austria and North Macedonia was halted in the 17th minute due to a severe thunderstorm. The pitch became waterlogged and played on a slippery footing because of the rain, posing a threat to the players’ safety. The game was eventually resumed after over an hour-long delay. This raises concerns about the choice of pitch and decision-making related to the weather conditions when planning any match-day.
Conclusion
The European Championship 2021 was met with several challenges, ranging from COVID-19 concerns to the Christian Eriksen incident and weather-related emergencies. Despite these challenges, UEFA made some crucial decisions in the interest of the players’ safety, ensuring that they did not compromise on the well-being of the players at any moment. Nevertheless, these incidents serve as a harsh reminder of the unpredictability of sport and encourage the stakeholders involved in the planning of the football calendar to anticipate and better prepare for such unforeseen events in the future.