This photo used for illustrative purpose.

Teams from Dubai Sports Council and Dubai Economy have intensified their inspection of sports clubs, academies, and sports and fitness centres in Dubai, and have taken action against nine facilities in the past week for violating COVID-19 precautionary measures and safety guidelines.

The DSC and Dubai Economy teams, which visited 124 sports facilities and five sports events for inspection between September 15 and 19 to ensure they comply with all safety protocols, have also issued 35 reprimands.

Three of the censured facilities – a rented playground, a swimming pool at a sports club and a sports academy – have been shut down until they comply with all COVID-19 precautionary measures and safety guidelines, while six other facilities have been issued monetary fines.

The closures and fines have been imposed for a range of violations, including crowding and failure to maintain safe distancing; gatherings in waiting areas, which are barred under COVID-19 protocols; non-compliance with the face mask rule; and failure to check temperature of all visitors and staff.

The Council has urged all clubs, academies, and sports and training centres in Dubai to comply with the protocols and safety guidelines, and stressed that inspection visits by DSC and Dubai Economy teams will be further intensified in the coming period to ensure full compliance with all COVID-19 safety protocols.

Before giving permission to reopen sports facilities in Dubai after months of lockdown due to COVID-19, Dubai Sports Council had issued a detailed list of protocols, in accordance with the safety guidelines issued by Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management and other relevant authorities, that clubs, academies, sports and fitness centres in Dubai are required to comply with at all times for the safety of their patrons, staff and visitors.

The facilities, among other things, have been instructed to make sure they maintain the hygiene and sanitization requirements as mandated by authorities, which includes maintaining a regular cleaning regime, and ensuring the 2 metre safe distancing rule is respected at all times.

The facilities have also been instructed to follow all the other safety protocols and guidelines like wearing masks, checking temperature of visitors, providing sanitisers, etc.

The regulations also require facilities to display public announcements, and awareness signage in highly visible areas. They must also maintain adequate records of their members, including names, telephone numbers and visit dates, to assist if contact tracing becomes necessary.