Minister of sport, arts and culture Nathi Mthethwa has laid down the directions that need to be in place for non-contact sports to resume events behind closed doors, and contact sports to resume training at level three of the national lockdown.
As can be the case with government regulations regarding the phases of the lockdown in response to Covid-19, there can be a few surprises and spanners in the works.
Mthethwa confirmed in a press conference on Saturday that non-contact sports such as golf, tennis, athletics and cricket can resume events behind closed doors at level three, which starts on Monday.
He clarified that contact sports such as football and rugby can resume fitness training, but cannot play matches.
A clause that jumps out, though, is that: “Resumption of non-contact sport training and matches in areas declared as hot spots … is prohibited.”
This would appear to continue to prohibit non-contact sports events, and contact sports training, where most professional athletes and sports teams are based in urbanised areas.
Question marks over clause on ‘no matches and training in hotspots’ in government directions
Image: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
Minister of sport, arts and culture Nathi Mthethwa has laid down the directions that need to be in place for non-contact sports to resume events behind closed doors, and contact sports to resume training at level three of the national lockdown.
As can be the case with government regulations regarding the phases of the lockdown in response to Covid-19, there can be a few surprises and spanners in the works.
Mthethwa confirmed in a press conference on Saturday that non-contact sports such as golf, tennis, athletics and cricket can resume events behind closed doors at level three, which starts on Monday.
He clarified that contact sports such as football and rugby can resume fitness training, but cannot play matches.
A clause that jumps out, though, is that: “Resumption of non-contact sport training and matches in areas declared as hot spots … is prohibited.”
This would appear to continue to prohibit non-contact sports events, and contact sports training, where most professional athletes and sports teams are based in urbanised areas.
Sports Minister Mthethwa: Football and rugby can resume fitness training
Speaking on the draft regulations, which have not yet been gazetted, Mthethwa said the directions, while continuing to minimise Covid-19, allow “professional, non-contact sports events without spectators, and professional athletes to train irrespective to whether is contact or non-contact sport, in a staggered way”.
Among the pertinent directions to allow non-contact sport to resume, and all sports to train, were:
Under testing and screening of players and support staff:
Sanitation of the training field:
Control measures:
Prohibited activities:
Mthethwa clarified: “Here we are for now talking about professional sport because here we have a chance and capacity to monitor. It’s not open for everybody at this stage. We are following a staggered approach in opening of matches.”
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