Grassroots sports guidance for safe provision including team sport, contact combat sport and organised sport events

This guidance sets out information for the public and sport providers on how to participate in grassroots sport and physical activity during COVID-19 restrictions. The local restriction tiers which apply to areas across England will determine which restrictions apply and how you can safely participate. You should check which tier applies to your local area and follow the appropriate measures.

Introduction

Where people can participate in sport and activities with others, it must be done as safely as possible. That is why the national governing bodies of each sport must produce an action plan to set out how people can participate in their chosen sport safely. For team sports and contact combat sport, this guidance must be approved by government before the sport can resume as an organised sport. The risk of any activity cannot be completely eradicated, but with caution and care, risks can be reduced and the benefits of sport enjoyed fully again.

‘Organised sport’ refers to sport which is formally organised by a national governing body, club, public body, qualified instructor, company or charity, and which follows the sport’s national governing body’s guidance. Organised sport benefits from a departure from some restrictions (such as outdoor organised sport being exempt from legal gathering limits) not just because of the benefits of sport and physical activity for mental and physical wellbeing, but because the organising body has considered the risks and set out ways to mitigate them so people can participate safely.

If you do not follow the processes below to draw up an action plan and publish appropriate guidance explaining how people can participate safely in your sport (which for team sports and contact combat sports, will also need to be approved by government), your sport will not be considered to be an organised sport. This means that the benefits of being an organised sport (such as exemption from legal gathering limits for outdoor sport) will not apply to people who participate in your sport.

Informal or self-organised sport is not covered by any exemptions, and can only take place within the legal gathering limits which otherwise apply.

Current guidance

Tier 4 areas

In tier 4 areas, you must not leave your home or be outside your home, except for specific purposes which include individual exercise outdoors - alone, with 1 other person, or within your household or bubble.

Organised outdoor sport

• In tier 1, 2 and 3 areas, organised outdoor sport is exempt from legal gathering limits and can take place in any number, but modifications to high-risk activities should be made in tier 3 areas.
• In tier 4 areas, you can only take part in individual exercise outdoors - alone, with 1 other person, or within your household or bubble.

Organised indoor sport

• Organised indoor sport is not exempt from legal gathering limits.
• In tier 1, 2 and 3 areas, organised indoor sport can only take place in line with the legal gathering limits for that tier.
• In tier 4 areas, indoor sport facilities must close and organised indoor sport is not permitted (except for certain groups).

Participants should follow the guidance below and adhere to social distancing when not actively participating (e.g. during breaks in play, or when awaiting substitutions).

Informal or self-organised sport and physical activity can only take place within legal gathering limits - both indoors and outdoors.

Organised sport participation events

Organised sport participation events such as races and organised walks can take place outdoors in tier 1, 2 and 3 areas, but must adhere to legal gathering limits and follow COVID-secure guidance. More information is set out below in the section on organised sport participation events.

Social interaction

Social interaction before and after playing any sport should be extremely limited and only take place in line with legal gathering limits and other relevant restrictions. You should check the rules which apply to your local area.

National governing bodies are expected to remind participants of this and consider sanctions within the sport if not followed.

Sport facilities such as gyms/leisure centres

• In tier 1, 2 and 3 areas: indoor and outdoor sport facilities such as gyms/leisure centres, courts and pitches can remain open, except indoor skating rinks which must close in tier 3 areas. However measures to control the infection rate may restrict the number of people who can gather, the activities that can take place, and the services that can be provided (such as food and drink sales). These are set out in the guidance for sport facility operators.
  
  
• In tier 4 areas: outdoor sports and leisure facilities may stay open. This includes: outdoor sports courts, outdoor gyms, golf courses, outdoor swimming pools, archery/driving/shooting ranges, and playgrounds. Indoor arenas at riding centres must close, but outdoor elements of these venues may stay open. Usage of outdoor ice rinks should be limited to elite sports persons and professional dancers and their support staff for training and competition. Toilets can remain open but changing rooms should close except where it’s necessary to provide access to toilet facilities. Indoor sports facilities including gyms must close unless delivering sport for educational purposes or supervised sport and physical activity for under-18s (including those who were under 18 on 31 August 2020) that enables parents/carers to work or seek work, or to participate in education.

All sports: guidance and key considerations

Guidance and approval

All national governing bodies must undertake a risk assessment for their sport at grassroots level and publish guidance on how to participate safely. The considerations and key principles that NGBs must take into account are set out below.

In addition, some sports will need to have their action plans approved before they can operate. They must follow the processes set out below in the Team Sport Framework and the Contact Combat Sport Framework. Those NGBs and organisations which have had their guidance approved through these processes will be listed at the bottom of this page.

Sanctions for non-compliance

Sporting activities are permitted despite wider restrictions because of the benefits of sport and physical activity for people’s physical and mental wellbeing. If people act irresponsibly when participating in sport (including off the pitch, and when socialising before and after activity) they jeopardize public health and undermine the case for safe sport to take place.

National governing bodies should ensure that clubs / leagues / providers are running their activities safely, and should take action to address any issues, including putting in place additional measures or suspending players / teams / leagues / clubs which do not adhere to guidance. If there are serious or consistent concerns with a particular sport which the NGB cannot or does not address, the NGB’s approval may be revoked so that the sport cannot take place.

Key Principle 1 - Off-field activity

Key Principle 2 - prior to activity

Club preparation

Clubs and providers are only operating as an organised sport where they are following your guidance and have the appropriate measures in place to offer their sport safely. Each provider should undertake a risk assessment, including ensuring that operators, organisers and volunteers are aware of modifications to game-play or activity structure. Risk assessments should be completed in line with guidance from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Clubs and providers should write their own action plan to be distributed to all relevant personnel, including coaches and welfare officers. This should also take account of wider government guidance on grassroots sport and facilities. A checklist to support clubs to put the appropriate measures in place should be made available. This should include participants being asked to consider if their underlying health may caution against participation, and could include providing specific training for those in charge of the session, if required.

All organised activity for children is exempt from legal gathering limits. This includes organised indoor team sports and all supervised sporting activity for under-18s. However appropriate care should still be taken when running activities for under-18s. All clubs running activities for children should consult the Department for Education’s guidance on protective measures for out-of-school settings, which sets out practical steps providers of community activities, holiday clubs, after-school clubs, tuition and other out-of-school provision for children should follow to minimise the risk of transmission for children attending their settings.

NHS Test and Trace

Continued opening up of the economy and public services is reliant on NHS Test and Trace being used to minimise transmission of the virus. In order to ensure that businesses and local services are able to remain open, organisations in designated sectors must:

• ask at least one member of every party of customers or visitors (up to 6 people) to provide their name and contact details

• keep a record of all staff working on their premises and shift times on a given day and their contact details

• keep these records of customers, visitors and staff for 21 days and provide data to NHS Test and Trace if requested

• display an official NHS QR code poster, so that customers and visitors can ‘check in’ using this option as an alternative to providing their contact details

• adhere to the General Data Protection Regulation

These duties apply to (among others) clubs providing team sport activities, indoor sport and leisure centres, outdoor swimming pools and lidos, sports and massage therapists, services provided for social and recreational purposes in youth and community centres, and village halls.

Your guidance should set out the process your clubs and providers should follow to collect information, and you can check the guidance on maintaining records of staff, customers and visitors to support NHS Test and Trace.

Pre-attendance symptom check

All players, officials, volunteers and spectators must undergo a self-assessment for any COVID-19 symptoms. No-one should leave home to participate in sport or to spectate if they, or someone they live with, have symptoms of COVID-19 currently recognised as any of the following:

• A high temperature

• A new, continuous cough

• A loss of, or change to, their sense of smell or taste.

An individual who displays any such symptoms must follow NHS and PHE guidance on self-isolation

Participants should be made aware of any increased risk associated with taking part in your sport, based on your risk assessment. They should also be strongly advised to comply with public health restrictions and avoid high risk behaviour outside the sports setting to reduce the risk to their fellow participants when they do attend.

Travel to participate in sporting activities

NGBs must ensure their plans align with wider government advice on travel restrictions. You should ensure that clubs and providers are aware of guidance for tier 2 or 3 areas. This affects those living in the areas as well as those who wish to travel into the areas to take part in sporting activities.

Key principle 3 - during activity

Your sport-specific action plan must take into account the risks inherent to your sport (such as physical contact between participants or prolonged face proximity). Having completed the droplet transmission risk assessment, each sport may introduce ‘COVID-19 adaptations’ to reduce the frequency of higher-risk activities, and measures you will take to reduce risk or to comply with restrictions (such as limits on physical contact in tier 3 areas).

This should also set out how you can take action to reduce the general risks of any sporting activity, using social distancing and avoiding unnecessary mixing such as pre-game handshakes, huddles, face-to-face confrontation with opponents and officials, and scoring celebrations.

Adherence to measures

Your guidance should set out a code of behaviour to ensure that clubs commit to operating within COVID-19 guidance. You should empower match officials to ensure measures are adhered to through appropriate sanctions. Clubs and providers should ensure participants are aware that they are choosing to take part in the modified version of the game, including any relevant COVID-19 measures, and should comply with these measures as a condition of participation.

On-field activity

Match officials, medics and coaches

Match officials should be empowered to ensure that COVID-secure measures are adhered to, and to enforce this through appropriate sanctions.

Match officials, medics and coaches should observe the governing body guidance in the same way as participants. Where legal gathering limits apply, people participating in a work or volunteering capacity (such as match officials, medics and coaches) are exempt and therefore not included in the number of participants. However, they must remain socially distanced from players where possible during play. Should match officials not be able to remain socially distanced due to their role in the sport, their sport should conduct a risk assessment to see if other mitigations may be necessary.

Injury treatment

Injuries should still be treated, as participant safety is of the utmost importance. Physios and other medical personnel should take care to protect themselves and others through rigorous cleaning and personal hygiene, including increasing the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting equipment and surfaces. Wearing face coverings is recommended for both medics and patients, where this is possible and practical.

After contact with an injured participant, physios and other medical personnel should clean their hands thoroughly with soap and water or alcohol hand sanitiser at the earliest opportunity. This advice is applicable to all situations, regardless of whether there was close contact or the minimum social distancing was maintained. They should also avoid touching their mouth, eyes and nose.

Physios and medical personnel should keep a record of each participant they have come into contact with, for Test and Trace purposes. Records should be kept for 21 days and then destroyed. Those working at a sport event should familiarise themselves with the guidance for first responders, in case of emergency situations.

Spectators

Supporters, parents, and other spectators must adhere to legal gathering limits whilst attending events. Your guidance should set out the importance of adhering to these requirements; in addition to being legal requirements punishable by fines, those violating the measures are endangering public safety and undermining the case for safe sport to be allowed to take place. If spectators do not follow these legal requirements, you should ensure the club or provider asks them to leave or not to attend again, or raises the issue with you to take further action.

You should work with clubs and providers to address issues with spectators or participants not adhering to measures. But if there are serious or consistent issues with spectators you should consider further action, including suspending the relevant sport provider from running any leagues / matches / events until this has been addressed.

There is an additional risk of infection where people are shouting or conversing loudly in close proximity to others (particularly indoors and when face-to face). Spectators should avoid shouting or raising their voices.

Key Principle 4 - facility usage

Your risk assessment and guidance should also take into account the use of any relevant facilities for your sport. Providers which will work with or operate facilities should review the sport facility guidance in full, but the key points NGBs must consider in risk assessments are summarised below.

Movement on site

All venues must have entry, exit and parking arrangements that ensure social distancing can be maintained, with appropriate signage. Venues should also implement traffic-flow systems where possible and appropriate. Venues should outline socially distanced areas for teams, officials and spectators as required. Venues should ensure that access for people with disabilities is maintained.

Changing rooms, showers and toilets

Where possible, players should arrive changed and shower at home. However changing and shower facilities can be used, provided operators follow any relevant sport facility guidance.

Participants must adhere to gathering limits while indoors, and maintain social distancing wherever possible. You should encourage participants to avoid or minimise the time they spend in the changing area. Team talks/briefings and other gatherings should not take place in changing rooms under any circumstances.

Toilet facilities should be provided for participants, but operators should follow any relevant sport facility guidance.

If these facilities remain closed, exceptions should be made where safety and safeguarding measures require their use, such as supporting disability athletes and allowing children to change clothes.

Clubhouses and hospitality

Sport providers and participants can use clubhouses and hospitality facilities in line with government guidance on hospitality settings, and there is specific advice for sport facility operators, which includes rules on closure and additional measures depending on the local alert rating. People using clubhouses and hospitality facilities must adhere to legal gathering limits and wider government guidance.

If facilities remain closed, exceptions must be made for essential activity such as the provision of first aid or access to essential equipment for training and matches.

Ventilation and venue capacity

Ventilation is an important part of mitigating against the transmission of COVID-19. Ventilation into any building should be optimised to ensure a fresh air supply is provided to all areas of the facility and increased wherever possible. Particular attention should be given to areas where high intensity exercise activity takes place.

The maximum occupancy of each indoor facility should be limited by providing a minimum of 100sqft per person. For this figure, the area is the net usable indoor facility space available to members to use, including changing rooms, toilet and wash facilities.

Guidance on ventilation is provided in the sport facility guidance.

Team sport framework

All team sports should follow the steps above to develop risk assessments, guidance and action plans for their sport. This should be prepared by the national governing body of the sport recognised by Sport England (more information on recognition and a list of recognised NGBs can be found on Sport England’s website.

In addition, NGBs of team sports should submit their action plan and relevant guidance to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) sportsCOVID19@dcms.gov.uk which will confirm receipt. The documents will be reviewed by DCMS, which will determine whether the proposals adequately control risk and are consistent with government guidance and wider public health restrictions. Some sports (particularly those which involve higher-risk activities) will also need to be approved by Public Health England

Until your proposal for grassroots sport provision has been approved, your sport is not considered to be organised, so activity that goes beyond legal gathering limits should not take place. Where you are awaiting approval, your website should clearly set out that people should not participate in your sport unless it complies with legal gathering limits.

Once DCMS has confirmed that the sport has been approved, the national governing body will be linked at the bottom of this page. You should publish your guidance on your website so that your sport can resume safely.

Contact combat sport framework

This document sets out guidance on how to work, operate and participate in recreational contact combat sport safely while minimising the risk of spreading COVID-19.

Following the steps below allows contact combat sport to take place with appropriate mitigations, whilst maintaining appropriate compliance with social distancing and legal gathering limits. This is only permitted if this guidance for each sport is fully implemented by a governing body for each contact combat sport, including an action plan which takes into account risks and mitigations for the relevant sport. Compliance with legal gathering limits and social distancing must be maintained at all times when not in training or competition.

Local restriction tiers

The local restriction tiers which apply to areas across England will determine which restrictions apply and how you can safely participate. You should check which tier applies to your local area and follow the appropriate measures. In addition to broader measures such as gathering limits, your local restriction tier will affect the type of contact combat activity that can take place.

The following phases are currently permitted in each tier (more information on the activity permitted can be found below):

• Phase 0 (non-contact, socially distanced activity only) - tier 2, 3 and 4 areas

• Phase 1 (return to equipment training) - tier 1 areas

• Phase 2 (return to contact training) - not currently permitted

• Phase 3 (return to competition) - not currently permitted

There is additional guidance for some groups:

• People with disabilities are exempt from gathering limits for organised indoor sport, so can participate in any number, but must follow the appropriate activity guidance for their tier. This includes any following the rules for contact activity within the sport, but other physical contact with others is still permitted in all phases where it is required (e.g. providing assistance to a person with disabilities to enable them to participate).

• People participating in sport for educational purposes are exempt from gathering limits, but must follow the appropriate group sizes set out in the guidance below for each phase. Contact activity can be permitted where it is necessary for educational purposes. This exemption only applies to curriculum sport (such as a student studying sport at further or higher education, where a contact combat sport is part of their programme of activity) and high-risk activity such as physical contact is only permitted where it is strictly necessary for educational purposes.

• Supervised activities (including sport and physical activity) for under-18s are also exempt, but must follow the appropriate group sizes set out in the guidance below for each phase. Each sport should set out in their guidance appropriate limits to contact and competition activity to ensure that is appropriately aligned with the wider position for their sport’s activity.

Mitigating risks

The purpose of this guidance is to provide the necessary mitigations to enable the return of recreational contact combat sport. The framework below recognises the inherent risk in contact combat sport and is designed to minimise COVID-19 transmission risk and enable participants to make an informed decision about their own risk.

According to current evidence, COVID-19 is primarily transmitted between people through respiratory droplets and contact with contaminated surfaces – usually those that are frequently touched but also direct contact with an infected person. Airborne transmission is possible in specific settings where certain procedures or sports treatments are performed in close proximity.

In the context of what is known about COVID-19 transmission, about combat sport, and about the incidence of asymptomatic but still infectious illness, combat sport is a high-risk activity. Almost all human-to-human transmission is likely to occur at close range (<2m). Contact combat sports involve very close range and sustained contact with other people, and all participants must be made aware of this inherent risk.

Sport action plans and guidance

Each individual sport must undergo a risk assessment for their sport and determine the level of risk for their sport and how they can work to mitigate it. This process is designed to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission while taking part in sport and physical activity, and enabling participants to make an informed decision about their own risk. Risk assessments should be completed in line with guidance from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Action plans should include an assessment of the transmission risk for their sport. For contact combat sports, the following factors should be considered:

• Droplet transmission: The risk associated with each action in an activity based on duration and proximity of participants. Contact combat sports involve very close range and sustained contact with other people.

• Fomite transmission: The risk associated with the direct contact between participants during the sport, and equipment and surfaces used in the delivery and participation of the sport. The risk of fomite transmission from skin and bloodborne diseases on training and competition surfaces is a consistent risk for contact combat sports. Contact combat sports’ national governing bodies have well-developed guidance and protocols for reducing the risk of fomite transmission and should ensure that these are updated to reflect the specific risks of transmission of COVID-19.

• Population: The number of participants likely to take part in the proposed activity plus known risk factors of participants with underlying health conditions or high risk groups who wish to participate. As contact combat sports are individual sports, population management is a suitable risk mitigation mechanism.

Who can submit a guidance document?

Each contact combat sport may only have a single guidance document. Commercial providers of contact combat sports must ensure that their clubs are following the guidance issued by the relevant body for that sport. Each guidance document should include proposals for all four phases of the return to contact combat sport.

Recognised national governing bodies

Contact combat sports which have a national governing body recognised by Sport England will be allowed to submit guidance for government review. The NGB should submit their action plan and relevant guidance to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) sportsCOVID19@dcms.gov.uk which will confirm receipt. The documents will be reviewed by DCMS, which will confirm receipt. The documents will be reviewed by DCMS, which will determine whether the proposals adequately control risk and are consistent with government guidance and wider public health restrictions. Some sports (particularly those which involve higher-risk activities) will also need to be confirmed by Public Health England.

Until your sport has been approved, activity above Phase 0 cannot take place, and your website should clearly set out that people should not participate in any contact activity.

Once DCMS has confirmed that the sport has been approved, the national governing body will be linked at the bottom of this page. You should publish your guidance on your website so that your sport can resume safely.

Sports which do not have a recognised governing body

Sports which do not have a recognised national governing body can still only submit one document for the relevant sport. If you are a national governing body which is not recognised by Sport England, you will need to provide further details on the landscape of your sport and how you have worked with other bodies to create a single plan for the sport. This information should be submitted to Sport England at Returntoplay@sportengland.org who will support you to develop a sport-specific action plan.

Once a single plan for the sport has been developed, it should be submitted to DCMS for review at sportsCOVID19@dcms.gov.uk to undergo the same process as for recognised National Governing Bodies.

Phased introduction of contact combat sport

This framework sets out a phased return to contact combat sport utilising population control as the key mitigating factor to reduce the risk of transmission. In all phases the key principles outlined in this guidance must be followed.

Moving between phases

DCMS will determine, in conjunction with public health officials and Sport England, when contact combat sports can move between phases. This will be reviewed every 4 weeks.

Each phase is dependent on successful completion and evaluation of the previous phase not having led to an increase in cases within the participant groups. Contact combat sports should only allow activities within the relevant phase to take place.

Phase 0: non-contact socially distanced activity (tier 2, 3 and 4 areas)

At Phase 0, contact combat sports may resume non-contact training. This means that they should only train individually and there should be no activity with others, including with equipment (such as pad work). Clubs, providers and participants must adhere to legal gathering limits, social distancing guidelines and venue requirements, as set out in government guidelines.

Phase 1: return to equipment training (tier 1 areas)

At Phase 1, contact combat sports can resume contact training. They can train with others and do not have to maintain 2m social distance. This is solely for the use of training with handheld and wearable equipment (such as pad work), and during this phase there should be no direct personal contact or contact with clothing. Sports should provide guidance on whether (and what type of) personal protective equipment (PPE) is appropriate for individuals holding/wearing contact equipment.

Training which involves contact should take place within ‘training bubbles’, in accordance with the local restriction tier for the club’s region. For example, in a tier 1 area, a participant could be part of a training bubble of up to 6 people from different households, who could train together provided they do not mix with participants from other bubbles. In a tier 2 area, indoor sport would only be able to take place where there is no mixing between households, so participants could only be in a training bubble with people from their household or support bubble. However contact combat sports are not currently permitted in tier 2 or tier 3 areas.

Individuals may only be part of a single bubble at an individual club/gym. Individuals may not be part of multiple bubbles at the same or at different venues (for example a coach may not train with a bubble of similarly experienced participants and then become a coach for a less experienced group; a children’s instructor may not coach more than one group of children, even on separate days). Coaches or participants holding/wearing the equipment are considered part of the bubble.

Coaches or officials who operate socially distanced from bubbles and are not holding/wearing equipment can operate across bubbles or multiple gyms. However, even when socially distanced, coaches or officials may wish to limit the number of bubbles or facilities they work with to limit exposure, and should make clear to facility operators if they work across multiple venues. Where possible, socially distanced training should be maintained for all participants.

For under-18s and where the activity is for educational purposes (e.g. students studying sport at Further or Higher Education), the training bubble may be up to 15 participants. Participants in a training bubble should not mix with others in different bubbles, before, during or after the training activity.

Phase 2: return to contact training (not currently permitted)

At Phase 2, contact combat sports may resume contact training which includes direct physical contact between participants.

Training which involves contact should take place within ‘training bubbles’, in accordance with the local restriction tier for the club’s region. For example, in a tier 1 area, a participant could be part of a training bubble up to 6 people from different households, who could train together provided they do not mix with participants from other bubbles. In a tier 2 area, indoor sport can only take place where there is no mixing between households, so participants could only be in a training bubble with people from their household or support bubble.

Individuals may only be part of a single bubble at an individual club/gym. Individuals may not be part of multiple bubbles at the same or at different venues (for example a coach may not train with a bubble of similarly experienced participants and then become a coach for a less experienced group; a children’s instructor may not coach more than one group of children, even on separate days). Coaches or participants holding/wearing the equipment are considered part of the bubble.

Coaches or officials who operate socially distanced from bubbles and are not holding/wearing equipment can operate across bubbles or multiple gyms. However, even when socially distanced, coaches or officials may wish to limit the number of bubbles or facilities they work with to limit exposure, and should make clear to facility operators if they work across multiple venues. Where possible socially distanced training should be maintained for all participants.

For under-18s and where the activity is for educational purposes (e.g. students studying sport at Further or Higher Education), the training bubble may be up to 15 participants. Participants in a training bubble should not mix with others in different bubbles, before, during or after the training activity.

Phase 3: return to competition (not currently permitted)

At Phase 3, contact combat sports may resume competition between participants.

The provision of competition, including the number of participants permitted to take part, should be determined in accordance with the local restriction tiers, adhering to legal gathering limits, and dependent on venue capacity (see guidance above on ventilation and venue capacity). For under-18s and where the sport is for educational purposes, up to 15 people may engage in contact combat sports competition. Participants may not mix with other participants, before, during and after the event.

The number of participants set out in legal gathering limits does not include coaches, officials and others attending for work purposes (e.g. event staff) but these numbers must be minimised. Sports should provide guidance on what PPE is appropriate for coaches or instructors.

Competition activities in Phase 3 should be organised with a minimum 2-week break between Phase 3 activities. Phase 1 and 2 activities may continue during this time. Individual sports’ action plans should set out clearly who is responsible for adhering to measures and maintaining records of Phase 3 activities.

Organised sport participation events

Organised sport participation events such as races and organised walks can take place outdoors but must complete a COVID-secure risk assessment, adhere to legal gathering limits and follow the COVID-secure guidance set out below. If you are organising a large outdoor event, you should also check the guidance for large outdoor events.

Key principles for organised sport participation events

Event delivery plan and guidance

Events can only take place within the legal gathering limits. You should check which level applies to your local area and follow the appropriate measures.

Each event organiser should conduct a risk assessment (in line with guidance from the Health and Safety Executive) and use this to produce a written delivery plan and any related guidance, demonstrating its mitigations, how it plans to operate including responsibility for overseeing compliance, and any adaptations required

Delivery plans should take into account that there are 3 variables of transmission. Each event organiser should provide an assessment of the transmission risk that a return to the event represents based on 3 key variables:

• Droplet transmission and aerosol generation: the risk associated with each action in an activity based on duration and proximity of participants

• Fomite transmission: the risk associated with the handling and transfer of equipment in the activity

• Population: the number of participants likely to take part in the proposed activity, and the known risk factors of participants with underlying health conditions or high-risk groups who wish to participate

Based on this overall risk profile some sport and physical activity events will be lower-risk than others and better suited to return to activity earlier with or without adaptation.

All events should ensure that they comply with the relevant national governing body safeguarding policies and procedures. For events reliant on third party-owned or managed facilities, adherence to this government guidance should be worked out collaboratively (with reference to the guidance for sport facilities).

Particular consideration needs to be given to children and young people under the age of 18 and vulnerable adults. Event organisers should commit to demonstrating to their normal licensing authorities that these principles are adhered to throughout the planning and delivery of the event.

Participants

The event timetable should be designed to permit only as many attendees as can be admitted within legal gathering limits, and where social distancing can be maintained at any given time. The event areas must be designed in order to maximise the available space for each participant and minimise the amount of time participants spend in proximity to each other.

Where possible, event organisers should ensure that event briefings for participants should be delivered in advance of the event day, with considerations given to suitable methods of communication to inform participants of any last-minute changes.

Having completed the droplet transmission risk assessment, each sport may introduce ‘COVID-19 adaptations’ to lower the frequency of activities that cannot be done whilst socially distanced. Avoid unnecessary breaking of social distancing such as handshakes, huddles, and celebrations between participants.

Spectators

Attendance by spectators must be managed in line with legal gathering limits and government guidance on social distancing. Crowding or congregation must be strictly avoided. If there is any risk of mixing between groups of 6 / households (subject to the social contact rules in the relevant tier), the event should not go ahead.

The course

Event organisers must ensure that pre-start assembly areas, the start line and holding areas are designed so that participants do not need to assemble at the start of the event in a manner which conflicts with social distancing guidelines. Event organisers should consider rolling start times to allow social distancing to be maintained.

The capacity and density of the participants on the course should always allow for social distancing. Organisers should consider pinch-points on the course before, during and after the event and manage them in line with government guidance on social distancing. Other non-essential activities that may undermine social distancing (such as entertainment) should be withdrawn.

Potential contact points such as the handling of medals, timing chips and numbers should be managed appropriately. Participants should be discouraged from bringing any equipment, baggage, or clothing that is not essential for their participation in the event, and should as far as possible, make their own arrangements for safe storage. Where these need to be stored centrally, it is preferable that only the owner should handle the equipment. If others need to handle it, strict hand hygiene measures should be observed.

Access to food and drink stations should be provided in such a way that social distancing can still be observed by officials and participants. Mitigations should be put in place to ensure risks are managed as much as possible in these environments. All hospitality services are subject to requirements set out in the guidance for restaurants, pubs, bars and takeaway services.

Health and medical provision

All players, officials, volunteers and spectators must undergo a self-assessment for any COVID-19 symptoms. No-one should leave home to participate in sport if they, or someone they live with, has symptoms of COVID-19 currently recognised as any of the following:

• A high temperature

• A new, continuous cough

• A loss of, or change to, their sense of smell or taste

Should an individual report or demonstrate any such symptoms, they must follow NHS and PHE guidance on self-isolation

Participants must be made aware of any increased risk associated with taking part in activity, based on the assessment undertaken by the governing body. They should also be strongly advised to comply with public health restrictions and avoid high risk behaviour outside the sports setting to reduce the risk to their fellow participants when they do attend.

Event organisers should undertake, in conjunction with local NHS services, detailed and continuous assessments to ensure there are no detrimental impacts of staging the event on the wider community and healthcare systems.

Injuries during the event should still be treated, as participant wellbeing is of the utmost importance. Physios and other medical personnel should take care to protect themselves and others through rigorous cleaning and personal hygiene, including increasing the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting equipment and surfaces. Wearing face coverings is recommended for both medics and patients, where this is possible and practical.

After contact with an injured participant, physios and other medical personnel should clean their hands thoroughly with soap and water or alcohol hand sanitiser at the earliest opportunity. This advice is applicable to all situations, regardless of whether there was close contact or the minimum social distancing was maintained. They should also avoid touching their mouth, eyes and nose.

Physios and medical personnel should keep a record of each participant they have come into contact with, for Test and Trace purposes. Records should be kept for 21 days and then destroyed. Those working at a sport event should familiarise themselves with the guidance for first responders, in case of emergency situations.

Appendix

Appendix 1

A team sports risk exposure framework to inform risk mitigation strategies and support test and trace

Appendix 2

Proposals to assist in the mitigation of transmission of COVID-19 through fomites during sport activity

Equipment used both during training and competition phases of sport can act as fomites, a vehicle for carrying the virus, and therefore impacting on the transmission of COVID-19 between individuals. This document aims to assist individuals and organisations in assessing their particular activity, and makes suggestions as to how this route of transmission might be mitigated.

Assessment process

The use of video analysis, of training and competition footage by staff and players, may allow identification of incidents and interactions between athletes and fomites (clothing and equipment). This can help inform decisions outlined in the process below, as to how the risk of any such contact can be mitigated. By involving staff and players in the process there is likely to be increased ‘buy-in’ from all parties.

• Identify fomites (equipment) used in activity

• What is it? [Name]

• What is it made of? [Material]

• How is it cleaned safely, repeatedly and effectively without degrading it? [Cleaning]

• Consider how the fomite is used in activity and how its use might be changed

• Reduce overall use

• Personal use only

• Change fomite to a version which poses less transmission risk

• Estimate risk of use - Red Amber Green [Risk] and impact of mitigation

• Cleaning and protection protocols for fomites

• When - between or during sessions? (see note 1)

• How - time, chemical, heat, light (see note 2)

• Protect - Use by individuals (possibly screened) with high levels of personal hygiene3 and facial coverings

• Educate and audit

• Educate, re-educate and remind staff and players regarding change in behaviours and use of fomites

• Monitor effectiveness

Notes

1. Cleaning during play might occur if, for instance, a ball goes out of play and is replaced by another clean one. Clothing might be changed at half-time. Equipment might be used every 3 days to allow viral decay

2. Equipment manufacturers should be able to offer advice on cleaning regimes. Staff undertaking cleaning may need suitable PPE

3. The benefits of hand hygiene to protect individuals and equipment are so substantial it is recommended that training and competition have routine hand sanitising breaks incorporated in a similar fashion to water breaks. These should be as athletes enter/leave the field of play and approximately every 20 minutes thereafter. For example, in football this would equate to 5 occasions in a 90 minute match.

Following the structured review of fomite interactions, a risk assessment document should be drawn up to summarise the risks identified, RAG rate them and document the mitigations undertaken to diminish that risk.

A review process should be built in to refine any mitigations and to react in the event of any positive COVID-19 infections and potential changes in government advice, following guidance on cleaning in non-healthcare settings.

Appendix 3

Approved team sports and contact combat sports

Team sports and contact combat sports are required to submit their action plans and relevant guidance for approval before they can resume as organised sports, to determine whether the proposals adequately control risk and are consistent with government guidance and wider public health restrictions. The relevant governing bodies in the list below have been reviewed by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (and Public Health England for higher-risk activities) and their proposals have been approved. This does not include individual sports, which are not listed as they do not require approval.

For further information, please see the guidance published on their websites:

• Baseball/Softball UK

• Basketball England

• British American Football Association

• British Baseball Federation

• British Canoeing

• British Dodgeball

• British Dragon Boat Racing Association

• British Equestrian

• British Gymnastics

• British Octopush

• British Roller Sports

• British Rowing

• British Wheelchair Basketball

• England and Wales Cricket Board

• England Handball

• England Hockey

• England Korfball

• England Lacrosse

• England Netball

• England Rugby

• England Tug of War

• English Curling Association

• Football Association

• Gaelic Sports

• GB Outrigger

• Goalball UK

• Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby

• Hurlingham Polo Association

• Ice Hockey UK

• British Ice Skating

• Rugby Football League

• Rugby Football Union

• Rounders England

• Royal Yachting Association

• SportCheer England

• Swim England

• UK Floorball Federation

• UK Ultimate

• Volleyball England