The upcoming Six Nations finale, new PRO14 rugby season and Republic of Ireland v Wales Nations League football match could be thrown into turmoil after a shock recommendation to plunge Ireland back into strict lockdown.
Ireland's National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) has told the government they should move to Level Five coronavirus restrictions for four weeks, which would mean a return to a full lockdown and the halting of all sporting events, the BBC report.
The Level Five measures announced early in the Covid-19 crisis last Spring said no sporting events could take place, with training only allowed on an individual basis.
Ireland's top politicians will meet the country's Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan on Monday after the recommendation was made in a public letter.
Ireland play Wales in a Nations League football match on Sunday, while the Irish rugby team are due to host Italy on October 24 in Dublin before travelling to France a week later to complete their Six Nations campaign after the games were initially postponed back in March.
Ireland are due to host Wales in the opening match of rugby's new autumn Nation's Cup on November 13.
PRO14 rugby would also be halted in the country under the restrictions, unless some sort of exemption was agreed for elite level sport, the BBC report.
There were 364 new Covid-19 cases recorded on Sunday, with no additional deaths reported.
Dublin and county Donegal are currently under Level Three measures which include people not being permitted to go or leave either county, with all other counties subject to level two.
