Police and council staff will be working together to keep fans safe from Covid-19 when England take on Scotland in Euro 2020 today.

Officers from Wolverhampton Police and the City of Wolverhampton Council's licensing team will be visiting pubs and bars around the city to ensure venues are operating in a Covid-secure manner.

Infection rates have risen in Wolverhampton and across the country in recent weeks, largely driven by the new, more transmissable Delta variant, with latest figures showing 112 people in the city tested positive for Covid-19 in the seven days to June 14 – though the true number of new cases will likely be higher.

As a result, the Government has delayed the further relaxation of coronavirus restrictions, meaning limits remain on the number of people who can mix indoors – up to six individuals, or two households – and that pubs, bars and restaurants still have to operate within capacity limits. Venues must only offer table service and customers should wear a face covering except when seated at a table to eat or drink, unless they are exempt for medical reasons.

Councillor Stephen Simkins, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for City Economy, said: "The vast majority of our pubs and bars are doing an excellent job in ensuring they are able to operate in a Covid-secure manner and we are happy to give them all the support they need to keep their staff and customers safe from this deadly virus.

"Our staff were out and about with police over the weekend to ensure that venues showing the opening England game were doing so safely, and were able to offer help and advice where required. And we will be doing the same for today's big match between England and Scotland to ensure that fans can enjoy the action safely.

“Our aim is simply to ensure we can protect as many citizens as possible while at the same time allowing everyone to safely support their teams in the Euros.”

Supt Simon Inglis from Wolverhampton Police said: "We appreciate that our communities have had a really difficult 15 months and there is now an opportunity to let off some steam and enjoy the night time economy and the football.

“If last weekend is anything to go by it is clear that people are happy to do that and still stick within the rules and comply with the restrictions that are still in place.

“Our officers attended many venues in partnership with the council and it was great to see that both the licensed premises as well as those attending them were able to enjoy the football and the occasion in a really positive way as well as keeping themselves safe during these really difficult times.

“All we ask is that you continue to do so this weekend and throughout the coming weeks and please see our visits to the locations as a positive step that is there to keep you all and your families safe. You being able to enjoy the football and the night time economy in a safe and organised manner is really important to us and so please help us to help you by complying with the restrictions, whilst enjoying the occasion.”

The full event schedule for Birmingham 2022 has been released, allowing sports fans to see the detail of exactly which events will be held in each of the 286 sessions that will feature at next summer’s Games. Women’s cricket T20, basketball 3x3, wheelchair basketball 3x3 and mixed synchronised diving will all debut in Birmingham, with the schedule set to includes two ‘Super Sundays’ for spectators to look forward to, with the second set to be the ultimate showcase of women’s sport.

With limited opportunities to attend live sports events in recent months, a huge amount of interest in tickets for the Games is expected, especially as the sports programme is the biggest in Commonwealth history and from today Birmingham 2022 ticket accounts can now be set up. The event schedule was launched with the help of Team England hopefuls who visited the host city’s Alexander Stadium - an important Games venue currently undergoing a £72 million refurbishment which is on budget and on schedule to be completed in Spring 2022.

Birmingham City Council Leader, Councillor Ian Ward, said: “The summer of 2022 is set for a spectacular Commonwealth Games, with 11 days of world-class sport in our city and wider region. The redeveloped Alexander Stadium will be at the heart of the Games, as the venue will not only host the athletics but the opening and closing ceremonies.

“The Alexander Stadium redevelopment is progressing at a lightning speed, with the roof of the new West Stand now complete. Once finished the Alexander Stadium will be truly befitting for the world’s best track and field athletes and as a bold centre piece of leisure, health and well-being activity in a regenerated Perry Barr.” 

“To see a world-class stadium developing on budget is fantastic, said Director of Sport for Birmingham 2022, Matt Kidson. “With more detail for our sports programme now revealed, the Games is really taking shape and it’s time for people to start planning which sessions they want to attend next summer, as our tickets will go on sale very soon,” he continued.

Aspiring Team GB Olympic heavyweight Delicious Orie said: "Some say I'm the new Anthony Joshua, but one day I aim to be even better and dominate." Raised in Russia, built in Wolverhampton, in Britain, the Super-Heavyweight England Boxing National Amateur Champion is targeting Birmingham 2022 and Paris 2024.

“This is a dream period in my life,” he said. “I originally played basketball and knew nothing about boxing. Away from the ring the calm and humble Delicious is appreciative of the sacrifices his family made to give him the chance of a better life away from racism in Russia.

He said: "I was born in Moscow and life was harder out there. We didn't have a lot of money and some people didn't like me purely because of the colour of my skin.

"I was seven when we moved to the UK and although it was difficult because I didn't speak the language and there were cultural differences, I could see there were more opportunities for kids to succeed." His father, Justin, left Nigeria in 1995 hoping for a better life in Russia and although he met his wife Natalie while studying, he had arrived in a country where Black people were often subjected to severe discrimination.

Orie, 23, found a love of sport as soon as he came to the UK and settled in Wolverhampton, but he had not even considered boxing before turning 18. "My first love was basketball and I looked up to Luol Deng,” he recalls.

“Born in Sudan, he was ‘killing it’ in the NBA. I knew nothing about boxing until I was introduced to the Wolverhampton Amateur Boxing Club. Now I aim to do the same in my sport”. Orie's ultimate target is an Olympic title for his adopted nation at Paris 2024, but first he must secure British citizenship.

“With 19 different sports and eight Para sports, we have such a rich and varied programme and there will be medal moments on every single day of competition,” says Matt Kitson. “We also have a really interesting mix of venues, with established facilities like the NEC and Arena Birmingham, beautiful parks like St Nicholas Park and West Park and exciting redevelopments like the Alexander Stadium, where the progress in the last 12 months has been phenomenal.”

As a new Alexander Stadium is coming on in leaps-and-bounds, Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games just can’t come soon enough!

Former Gloucester centre Jack Adams has died after being diagnosed with cancer.

Adams, who also had spells with Moseley and Bristol and featured for the England Sevens team, made 35 appearances for Gloucester between 2005 and 2009, and was head coach of Hucclecote RFC.

A statement on the Gloucester website said: "Our heartfelt condolences go out to Jack's family and loved ones in this incredibly difficult time. Jack was a local lad who lived his dream of representing his hometown club.

"The outpouring of love and support from the wider rugby community over the last few days goes to show just how adored Jack was as a person." Adams, who also played for Cinderford RFC before retiring in 2017, was first diagnosed with cancer in mid-April.

The Rugby Players Association had set up a fundraising page to support Adams' family and a local charity.

He was 34.

Christian Eriksen has been speaking to his national team-mates and remains stable in hospital, Danish football officials have said.

Eriksen collapsed shortly before half-time in Denmark's opening Euro 2020 game against Finland on Saturday. The 29-year-old Inter Milan player had emergency medical treatment on the pitch before being taken to hospital.

"His condition is stable and he continues to be hospitalised for further examination," said a statement. "This morning we have spoken to Christian, who has sent his greetings to his team-mates.

"The team and staff of the national team has received crisis assistance and will continue to be there for each other after yesterday's incident. We would like to thank everyone for their heartfelt greetings."

Saturday's incident happened as a throw-in was played towards Eriksen near the end of the first half. His distressed team-mates surrounded him and the shocked supporters at Parken Stadium were visibly upset as the player was treated.

Denmark team doctor Martin Boesen said Eriksen had been unconscious when he reached the player on the pitch. "When I got to him he was on his side, he was breathing, I could feel a pulse, but suddenly that changed and we started to give him CPR," he said.

"The help came really fast from the medical team and the rest of the staff with their co-operation, and we did what we had to do and managed to get Christian back." Last month, Eriksen helped Inter clinch their first Italian title for 11 years in his first full season with the club, after joining from Spurs for £16.9m in January 2020.

The Ajax youth player spent seven years with Tottenham, scoring 69 goals in 305 appearances.

England centre half Tyrone Mings has said that his teammates are out to educate and inform those who are not, in response to Home Secretary Priti Patel’s criticism of the young, multicultural representation of a country - that is today’s England - taking the knee. She accused the national side of participating in what she calls "gesture politics." 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, on the other hand, has urging fans to cheer and defend their time - not boo them for taking a knee. This comes after the England players were again booed by some fans – this time prior to their Euro 2020 game against Croatia at Wembley.

"I don't support people participating in that type of gesture politics,” Patel said. "It's all well to support a cause and make your voices heard. Speaking now very much from what I saw in some of the protests last year and the impact on policing. It was devastating."

Despite that Mings – whilst actually being on the receiving end of racism – said: "We have our own set of beliefs. He added: "To the home secretary, I don't really have a direct message.

“Everybody's entitled to their own opinion and she is one of many people that oppose us taking the knee or refuse to defend it. We think about what we can do to help and there will be players that can be influential and can stand up for what we believe in.”

He went on: "We spoke about trying to educate or trying to inform the minority of people who refuse to acknowledge why we're taking the knee and want to do it. The English Football Association had asked fans to respect the players' wishes to highlight racial injustice.

UK Athletics has made the decision that it will not be able to send a team to the 2021 World Athletics U20 Championships currently scheduled for 17-22 August 2021, in Kenya.

This decision has been reached for a number of reasons including UK Government guidance not to travel to red list countries; the associated risks with Covid-19 variants; the significant cost and time required in quarantine both in Kenya and UK, but most importantly the wellbeing of our athletes, coaches and support team.

As stated in the original selection policy for the age group championships, to best support athlete development through the U20 competition pathway and to provide opportunities for more athletes to gain a British vest, UK Athletics will take all qualifiers (three per event) to the European Athletics U20 Championships in Tallinn, Estonia on 15-18 July.