By Tim Parsons-
Athlete who derive a living from competing in a sport senior representative nominated by a relevant sporting body, can return to training under new guidelines provided by the British Government..
In the latest move towards a resumption of live sport behind closed doors, the Department For Digital Culture, Media, and Sports released a ‘stage two’ guidance in close consultation with a body of professionals. They include the Deputy Chief Medical Officers of England, Public Health England and medical representatives across Olympic, Paralympic and professional sports governing bodies.
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The new guidelines are designed to gradually return sportsmen and women to training, whilst limiting the numbers of people back in sports were announced today.
This means that athletes who do not derive an income from athletics will not fall under the category of people permitted to return to athletics at this stage.
Instead, the guidelines permits elite athletes to carry out organised, close contact training such as close quarters coaching and team sports’ tackling to enable players to get match fit under carefully controlled medical conditions.
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The guidance covers Stage Two of the proposed five stage framework for returning to full unrestricted elite sporting competition.
It is expected to assist elite sport organisations to deliver a safe return to organised training for their athletes and staff, and outlines those requirements that build upon the Stage One guidance in cases where Stage Two training is to be undertaken.
It has been produced by a working group of leaders, Chief Medical Officers and partner organisation representatives including institutes, athlete representative bodies and sport venue hosts across Olympic, Paralympic and professional sports in collaboration with DCMS, PHE, DHSC and UK Sport.
The guidance does not constitute advice and elite sports and affected organisations are expected to seek independent advice from appropriately qualified medical practitioners prior to implementing any ‘return to training’ plan.
Relevant Sporting Body
The government is also specific in its definition of a “relevant sporting body”, describing it a ”the national governing body of a sport which may nominate athletes to represent either Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held in Tokyo, or the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held in Beijing”.
It includes England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man at the Commonwealth Games to be held in Birmingham in those sports which are not part of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games programme.
Close contact interaction within the two metre social distancing boundary training where pairs, small groups and/or teams will be able to interact in much closer contact (e.g. close quarters coaching, combat sports sparring, teams
The progression of training into Stage Two is vital to prepare fully for the return of competitive sporting fixtures in many sports. Close contact training is required to replicate match formations and conditions, so that the sport-specific demands can be placed on the body, mind and senses.
Engaging in this type of training start with smaller ‘clusters’ of 2-3 athletes and eventually progress to larger groups of 4-12 athletes, and ultimately full team training. The Department acknowledges that social distancing will not be possible at all times. Under Stage Two conditions, as per Stage One, social distancing will continue to be the expectation at all other times aside from technical training.
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