Ice Hockey: Can it really survive coronavirus?

The list of cancelled events is growing by the hour as the UK moves into wholly unchartered waters in its bid to contain the coronavirus - and sport is in the frontline.

A host of championship events and major competitions have been scrapped, and the cull is far from complete.

Some have simply cancelled completely, while others have significantly curtailed operations.

Formula One's opening race of the new season in Australia is off, while Euro 2020 football championships could become Euro 2021.

The NBA is suspended, rugby union's Pro14 has been scrapped, and the NHL is on hold.

Major League Soccer has hit the pause button for 30 days to take stock, and even darts competitions have been pulled.

Across Europe, ice hockey leagues have said the season is officially over.

And all of that - and more - came in a 48 hour window.

The decision of the EIHL is to carry on in the absence of an official directive, but it is difficult to see the sport surviving as others all close their doors or curtail programmes. 

The problem is the advice is conflicting, and the picture is changing at a rapid rate.

Government health officials have said there is no need to postpone large sporting events - it makes no difference to the threat of the virus getting into our communities- and schools remain open.

But ... First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she was of a mind to cancel events  with crowds of more than 500, not because such a move would curtail the spread, but because it would free up emergency personnel who have roles at major games.

That 500 barrier -regardless of how many paramedics etc you have at your game - would certainly impact directly all three Scottish EIHL teams. In effect the only way they could play on home ice would be behind closed doors, possibly retrieving income via webcasts?

The regular season may only have two weeks left to play but there are play-offs to factor in - and that's before we even look at the finals weekend which brings 8000 people from across the UK into one arena. 

Given the confusion and concern, there is a clear need for clarity from the league and all of  its individual clubs. 

Coventry Blaze and Dundee Stars have led the way with excellent statements tonight on what they were doing to minimise the risk of infection. That's exactly what fans want - and need - to hear.

Stars cancelled all player interaction in the community, including on-ice presentations, and also postponed their awards night.

Blaze outlined restrictions on match night - no autographs from players, no hanging around the dressing-room and more curtailments on post-game presentations.

Both also re-iterated the health advice on hand washing and using, and binning, tissues, with a clear "stay at home" plea if you may have any symptoms of coronavirus.

Fife Flyers must follow suit as a matter of urgency. 

The club has a big game against Glasgow Clan on Saturday.  It's a fixture which has generated crowds of up to 2500.

What, if any restrictions, will be in place? What steps is the club taking to minimise the risk of infection spreading?

Fans need to know to then be able to make an informed decision whether to attend.

This virus affects everyone, and it has escalated very suddenly. The 'keep calm and carry on' vibe now feels scarily redundant.

While Scotland only has 60 positive cases from well over 2000 tests, the real fear is we could be just four weeks away from what is happening Italy where schools are closed, all shops, except chemists and food stores, are shut, and some cities are now stopping all traffic from entering.

In Fife there have been three positive cases, but health officers fully expect a sharp rise in the number of people seeking tests in the coming weeks.

Clubs have a responsibility to protect he health of  their fans, players and match night crews.

They also have a duty to keep them informed. 

There is much to be done.