The co-chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Wrestling, Alex Davies-Jones MP has written to the Secretary for Culture, Media and Sport to ask for clarification on the return of British wrestling.
Dear Secretary of State,
You may not be aware, but we have recently established the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Wrestling. The focus of the group is promoting and support the professional wrestling industry in the UK. We plan to have a formal launch in September which we would be delighted if you would support, and will hold an inquiry, engaging stakeholders across the UK, to assess what we can do to enhance the industry’s standing across the country and beyond.
We have received representations from wrestling promoters about the lack of clarity in respect of the current rules regarding performance activity. Wrestling schools are uncertain if they are able to open in some limited capacity and some promotions are, we understand, minded to run ‘no fan’ shows whilst others are nervous to do so without further clarity on existing policies.
It would be ve very helpful if you could clarify:
a) How the department current defines wrestling training schools, particularly in respect of COVID-19 policies and regulations.
b) Whether training schools are permitted to run at the present time, if so, what they must do to facilitate this and if not, what the timetable will be for re-opening?
c) If such schools are able to re-open, and in any event, what possibilities there are for promotions running ‘no-fan’ or limited fan shows, as American promotions have been doing with some success, whilst instituting strict testing and social distancing regimes? Will any wrestling show be part of the proposed ‘trail’ social distancing live entertainment events, and if not, might they be added to the list of those events being considered?
We would appreciate your urgent attention to this matter which will hopefully bring some certainty to an industry badly impacted by the pandemic,
Alex Davies-Jones MP, Pontypridd MP & Mark Fletcher MP, Bolsover MP