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Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Will Hayward

Everything Mark Drakeford said about fanzones if Wales get through the group stage of the Euros

The First Minister said he is considering introducing large outdoor fanzones in Wales' towns and cities.

Following the amazing win against Turkey it looks as though the Welsh national football team will be able to get out of its Euros group (fingers crossed).

The groundswell of positivity driven by Ramsay, Bale and co has brought back memories of the glorious summer of 2016 when people across Wales gathered en masse in Wales' towns and cities to watch games in fanzones.

In an i nterview with WalesOnline First Minister Mark Drakeford said that he was actively weighing up allowing them again.

He said: "We do continue to be in conversations with the enforcement agencies, the police, the environmental health officers and our local government colleagues about whether or not fanzones have more pluses or more minuses.

"On the plus side you can argue that they offer a safe environment and a controlled environment which is safer than gathering in people's homes. The counter argument is that they attract large crowds and are difficult to control. The way people make their way to them and away from them creates additional risks as well.

"It really is a very finely balanced set of arguments and we continue to weigh them up and get the best advice that we can, in partnership with those other players who would have to do the practical business of running them if they were to be set up."

There were some limited fanzones set up for Wales' group games in places such as Depot in Cardiff.

The images from many places showed that - particularly following a goal - there were examples of very little social distancing as fans understandably celebrated.

Wales fans celebrate a goal at the Wales Fanzone at Vale Sport Arena as they watch the UEFA Euro 2020 Group A match between Wales and Switzerland (PA)

According to Mark Drakeford he is aware of these incidents but suggested that this is preferable than people celebrating with people outside their bubble at home.

Regarding the celebrations, he said: "Well that is something that is used against fanzones, that it is hard to control them in that way.

"The counterarguments are also put that if Wales score in the last minute of a quarter finals then people in other places would be gathering and celebrating and that would be even less controlled then if it were in a fanzone. That is the nature of the debate and the debate goes on."

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