Covid-19 Level 5 Update - March 31st 2021
Athletics Ireland / Sport Ireland Covid-19 Level 5 Update
March 31st 2021
Full details of the updated (March 31st) Government Level 5 restrictions can be found on Gov.ie
Arising from this Government release, Athletics Ireland issued its own updated guidance
Excerpts from these documents
From 12 April
Activity & Guidance
Meeting other households: You can meet 1 other household outside but not in your garden or theirs
Travel: You can travel within your county or within 20km of your home if crossing county boundaries
From 19 April
Activity & Guidance
Elite sport: High performing athletes, as approved by Sport Ireland, can resume. (AAI elites are high-performance athletes who have an exemption to continue to train. These athletes have a letter of exemption from the AAI High Performance Director). [Cork Athletics note: Letters/documents from any other body/person/coach have NIL validity]
From 26 April (subject to prevailing public health situation)
Activity & Guidance
Outdoor sport: Outdoor sports facilities can reopen (for example: pitches, golf courses and tennis courts, other facilities as appropriate)
Underage sport: Underage non-contact outdoor training in pods of 15 or fewer can restart
Travel & Races
From April 12th, people may travel within their own county, or up to a radius of 20km from their homes, if that brings them across a county boundary.
Wrexham Elite Marathon - Sunday April 25th
There are no races permitted in Ireland for the foreseeable future, however with the May 31st Olympic Marathon Qualification deadline looming, several elite Irish athletes will be attempting to achieve the qualification times, at an event in England, on Sunday April 24th. The event was originally planned for Wrexham, in Wales, however as Wales is still under lockdown, and England has lifted its restrictions, the event has been moved approx. 20 miles away, into England.
As of now, six Irish elites are running, two men; Hugh Armstrong and Mick Clohissey, and four women; Breege Connolly, Ann-Marie McGlynn, and two athletes with Cork Clubs; Aoife Cooke (Eagle AC) and Dylan Hassett (Leevale AC).
Over 50 other Irish athletes from the Republic, along with several more from Northern Ireland, are entered. While those from Northern Ireland are free to travel freely within the UK, those from the Republic, who likely entered, probably some time ago, in the hope/expectation that restrictions would have been relaxed by the time the race is scheduled to take place.
Included are 22 athletes from Cork, who, reportedly, have hired several buses, and several for other Munster counties. Reportedly, a few plan to travel via Northern Ireland [Please don't do this - there will be plenty of media & social media coverage of the event, and the results will be published, and risks grave repercussions for athletics]
It appears that even the six Elite athletes are faced with, severe travel difficulties. Word on the 'grapevine' is that accomodation in the region around the event is proving difficult to get.
Travel out of the country is easier than returning, but those travelling, except those in posession of legitimate documentation from Sport Ireland/Athletics Ireland High Performance Director, are liable to fines.
Returning is more restrictive:
ALL persons MUST have a negative / not detected result from a pre-departure COVID-19 PCR test, taken within 72 hours before their arrival in Ireland
They must complete an online Passenger Locator Form with information about where they are living/staying in Ireland.
They must self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival in Ireland.
In addition, ferry and airline websites state that no passengers will be allowed to travel without the necessary documentation.
Hamburg Elite Marathon Postponed
Elsewhere, in the past 24 hours, Covid has scuppered the Hamburg Elite Marathon, scheduled for April 11th, as an Olympic Qualifier for Germany's Olympic hopefuls
Athletics Ireland FAQs - July 8th 2020
Return to Activity Guidelines (Previously Issued):
Road Race Event Organiser Guidelines
Road Race Volunteer, Staff and Marshalls Guidelines
Road Race Participant Guidelines