Restrictions now in place until June 30, with wider suspension of all other athletics activities to be reviewed

Athletics competition within the UK will now be suspended until June 30 at the earliest, UK Athletics has announced.

Last month the national governing body and home country athletic federations confirmed restrictions on competitions, formal club activities and running groups until May 31 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

This latest announcement extends that but currently only for competition.

The wider suspension of all other athletics activities continues to be reviewed, UKA said.

“The suspension of athletics competition within the UK has now been extended until at least June 30. The decision has been made collectively in light of the ongoing UK Government restrictions and the need to give athletes, coaches, clubs, event organisers and officials clarity, advance notice and time to plan,” said a UKA statement.

“The wider suspension of all other athletics activities until May 31 will continue to be reviewed but not before a further announcement from the UK Government on the current restrictions, which is expected during the week commencing May 4.

“The suspension of all other athletics activities includes training activities, formal club activities, running groups, and any educational or development activity such as coaching and officiating. Any continuation should still be through e-learning and virtual means.”

The further suspension of athletics competition means that events such as the England Athletics U20/U23 Track & Field Championships, originally scheduled to take place in Bedford on June 6-7, will not take place as planned.

Earlier this month, UKA announced that the Müller British Athletics Championships had been rescheduled for August 8-9, coronavirus permitting.

It was hoped that the event could incorporate the trials for the European Championships but the continental competition has since been cancelled.