We have been engaged in meetings yesterday and today to address issues raised in a letter received on Monday of this week from the Department of Health. In particular, we are grateful to Dr Kerry Chant for taking the time to address State Sporting Organisations this afternoon.

We were comforted by Dr Chant’s assurance that both she and the Department of Health are committed to community sport. Specifically, her advice that the Department of Health will take a pragmatic, common sense approach to the implementation of the high level recommendations articulated by the Department of Health will allow each State Sporting Organisation to work towards a tailored implementation of the recommendations in a way which achieves the aims of the Department of Health at the same time as allowing community sport to continue to operate.

We have always placed the utmost importance on the health and safety of our stakeholders and we have emphasised compliance with Public Health Orders so as to limit the possible spread of coronavirus across the state.

Along with other sports, we have:-

– Ceased activities that result in the mixing of participants and staff from different regions, for example zone, regional or state championships;

– Ceased activities that result in overnight stays, for example multi-day training camps;

– Ceased face-to-face social activities, for example post-training or post-match group dinners or awards functions;

– Recommended that participants avoid carpools or bus travel with people from different household groups where possible;

– Required that we limit spectators to one parent only where a child requires parental supervision during our sporting activity.

We continue to liaise with the Department of Health and Office of Sport regarding the implementation of the Department of Health recommendations and any possible adjustments which flow from them. Whilst this process is taking place, we will continue to observe the terms of the existing Public Health Order and our competitions will continue to operate. For all of our competitions, we reinforce the importance of COVID-safe plans and the necessity for following the terms of those plans to the letter.