Covid 19 - Athletics Ireland FAQs re Phase 2 - June 12th 2020
Athletics Ireland COVID-19 FAQ re ReOpening - Phase 2 - Friday June 12th 2020
Athletics Ireland's FAQ’s for Phase 2 of Lockdown Exit
Key Developments in Phase 2 include:
Groups of up to 15, including trainers and coaches, may return to non-contact outdoor training activity (but not matches) while maintaining social distancing at all times.
You may travel within your own county, or up to 20 kilometres from your home if crossing county boundaries.
Can 12-year olds turning 13 years in 2020 train with their age group?
Yes, all those born in 2007 and before can train in their club and are insured.
Will there be any Track and Field Competition this year?
The Juvenile and Competition Committees are meeting regularly to plan a return to competition within government guidelines. Provisional dates in August and September are planned for Under 14 groups and above and these will be published in the coming days. Note – all dates will be contingent on meeting government guidelines.
Can Over 70’s attend the Club?
In relation to the vulnerable Over 70 years population, the advice currently is that they may leave their houses for exercise, but they should limit contact with other people, even on a socially distanced basis. This advice does not recommend over 70s attending sports clubs however, it is not mandatory, it is advisory, so individuals can make their own decisions.
Will Summer Camps Proceed?
Government guidelines allow summer camps to proceed in line with strict procedures around outdoor activity only, social distancing, contact tracing and excellent hygiene. A final decision on Athletics Ireland Summer Camps proceeding will be made in the coming days.
Logistics of attending a club session - example
- Maintain social distancing during training at all times
- Carry a bottle of hand sanitiser and use regularly
- If using equipment wipe clean before and after use
Can more than one group of 15 operate in my club at once?
Yes, your club is responsible for developing its own risk assessment document. If the club believes it can safely operate with more than one group on site then it can. The risk assessment is subject to meeting all social distancing, contact tracing and hygiene requirements.
Do all attending need to complete the health screening questionnaire?
Yes, all attending the club must complete the health screening questionnaire. At the very least the coach should read the questionnaire aloud to all groups and any participant answering yes to the session should be excluded and contact their GP.
We meet as a training group in a local park, does the AAI insurance cover us there?
Yes, once you are a club committee approved group the insurance policy is in place for you.
Does the Club Covid Compliance Officer need to have medical qualifications or expertise?
No, the role of the Club Covid Officer is detailed in the Club Covid Guidelines on page 2 and they do not need to have medical experience
Will Athletics Ireland provide training on Club Covid Compliance Officer?
There is a webinar on the Athletics Ireland website This page has related information and guidance on the role. Sport Ireland will be providing additional training supports in time and these will be released to the clubs in due course.
Is the club required to put up Covid-19 posters?
Yes, if possible, it is important to advise visitors of their responsibility to maintain social distance, hygiene and sneezing/cough etiquette.
Is the Covid Compliance Officer solely responsible for ensuring good practices on our return to activity in our club?
No, everyone is equally responsible for ensuring best practices are implemented, the Covid-19 officer merely coordinates that plan.
Is the coach one of the fifteen or is it fifteen athletes and a coach?
The coach is counted as one of the fifteen.
Cork Athletics Note Re Races & Permits
Cork Athletics County Board is still awaiting information from Athletics Ireland regarding the status of existing Race Permits. Many events have permits which were granted before the COVID-19 crisis. These permits are still valid, however McMahon Galvin, Athletics Ireland's Insurance Brokers, confirmed to Cork Athletics, yesterday, that insurance cover for all events remains suspended until further notice. In effect, this means that events may not proceed at present. In addition, race organisers will probably find that there are issues with other critical race matters, for example Medical Cover (e.g. Red Cross, etc)
Editorial Comment - Races
While things are opening up slowly, and we may see T&F and/or Cross-Country from late August, it appears unlikely that road racing will resume for the foreseeable future. Several races are holding out, watching each other, waiting to see who blinks first, but bottom line is, without HSE Guideline compliance, it is hard to see any event getting insurance or medical cover, so we will probably have to hold tough for a while longer
Please, please abide by the spirit of the HSE guidelines.
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Covid 19 - Return to Sport Expert Group Release - June 6th 2020
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Covid 19 - Serious Training Issues
Re-Starting Clubs - Covid-19 Update May 9th 2020
Covid 19 and Long Runs or Long Periods in Public
Update - Athletics Ireland Events and Covid 19 Coronavirus - March 24th
Update - Athletics Ireland Events and Covid 19 Coronavirus - March 12th
Athletics Ireland Events and Covid 19 Coronavirus - March 7th
Practical Guide for Clubs Returning to Athletics following the Covid-19 Restrictions during Phase 2 ofthe Roadmap for ReOpening Society
