April 15 - A Bad Day For Sport?

Once again, a major tragedy has struck sport on the day dated April 15.

On April 15, 1989, the sporting world was rocked to its core by the Hillsborough tragedy in Sheffield. The final death toll was 96 - all of them Liverpool fans crushed to death at a FA Cup semifinal between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.

14 years later, the sporting world has again been rocked to its core by bombings at the Boston Marathon. The death toll, this time is not as severe as it was in Sheffield but the effect on the nation and world has been just as profound.

It appears that April 15 is a bit of cursed date for world sport with the Grim Reaper seeming to choose that date to cause early death on that date.

And the consequences are set to be cataclysmic.

The Hillsborough tragedy saw the biggest reform of football in England of all time - the resulting Taylor Report saw the end of terraces at English football league grounds and fueled the Premier League's push. Let's be honest, football was changed forever after the tragic events of that spring Saturday in the north of England.

I imagine the Boston Marathon bombing could possibly see the biggest changes to marathon - unfortunately those changes could be more negative to spectators than those implemented as a result of the Hillsborough tragedy.

One wonders if marathons will ever be the free-for-all events they have been - and the reasons why they have been so popular. Will organizers have to implement restricted entry and ticketed seating to pay for the increased security measures for spectators and participants to prevent a repeat of today's tragedies? It is certainly one possibility that could come to fruition.

And could the Boston Marathon bombing possibly have an effect on other events around public streets and parks, i.e. Tour de France and cycling races? Will fans now be forced to go through security gates before they can take their place on the sidewalk to watch their friends, family or favourite athletes compete?

It is not apt right now to contemplate such issues while there is so much devastation around - yet it is very tempting to do so.