Far from the madding Kumbh at Wembley

By the time you read this, either a largely English-speaking country is shouting ‘Hurrah!’, or a largely Italian-speaking one is celebrating with ‘Viva!’ after winning the title of Euro champions. But regardless of the result, one thing that has left us, desis, astounded is the crowds at Wembley on Sunday night.

Before the Italy-England final, British government sources were quoted stating that a packed stadium — 90,000 people — ‘cannot be ruled out’. What many critics were fearing as ‘human experiments’ being conducted by Uefa, Europe’s football administrative body, with the British government, seems less fantastical now.

Is London Covid-free? Not the last time we looked. Were those thronging Wembley not worried that social distancing-be-damned behaviour may have caused 35,000 Covid infections recorded in one day last week, the highest since January?


True, post-Britain’s vaccination drive, people are less liable to develop serious conditions after testing Covid-positive. True, lockdown is no answer. But surely, the other extreme — of partaking in a Kumbh-like crowd — isn’t comforting. Which brings us to the cultural dissonance we may have experienced. This was not a giant congregation of ignorant Third Worlders keeping gods overworked to protect them. Or, hang on, was it?