Quarantine rules relaxed for Sheffield's World Snooker Championship

Other major sporting events, as well as TV and film productions, will be able to go ahead after the Government said that some sports teams and players and production crews will not have to quarantine upon arrival in England if they are “essential to the event or production.”

It gives the green light for Formula One, international football, golf and snooker tournaments to return – including the World Snooker Championships which are due to begin at the Crucible Theatre on July 31.

Announcing the scheme, which applies to England only, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: "The British summer of sport is back on."

Under the new rules, sports authorities, event organisers and the film and TV industry would need to follow "stringent protocols" to become exempt from the 14-day quarantine rule.

At the moment, most travellers to the UK must quarantine for two weeks. However, from 10 July, people arriving in England from dozens of countries deemed "low risk" will not have to isolate.

Earlier this week, former finalist Ding Junhui confirmed his participation in this month’s tournament, effectively guaranteeing a full quota of top 16 stars at the tournament.

Ding, the world No 11, withdrew from this month’s Coral Tour Championship due to concerns relating to travel and quarantine in the coronavirus pandemic.

However, World Snooker said the 33-year-old, who lost to Mark Selby in the 2016 final, has indicated he will play in the event