By Emre Asikci
ISTANBUL (AA) - The 2021 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four will take place without spectators due to the novel coronavirus, EuroLeague announced on Wednesday.
"Euroleague Basketball regrets having to announce that due to the ongoing global pandemic situation and in accordance with the recommendations of the German national and local authorities, it has been decided to organize the 2021 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four without any fans in attendance," EuroLeague said in a statement.
"However, since the health and safety of the fans and participants remain the paramount concern for all, attendance at the Final Four will now be limited to teams, working staff and selected media, all subject to strict hygiene protocols and regulations. Euroleague Basketball will also provide a remote service for all journalists not being able to attend due to current restrictions to provide them the same opportunities as if they were on-site" it added.
The Final Four will be held on May 28-30 at Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany that has a capacity of 18,500 seats.
Lanxess Arena hosted numerous global-scale sports events, including the 2006 NBA Europe Live Tour, 2007 and 2019 world men's handball championships, and 2001, 2010, and 2017 IIHF ice hockey world championships.