With coronavirus cases rising once again, the new ‘rule of six’ law has been instituted in England this week. Yet despite there now being a ban on both indoor and outdoor gatherings of seven people or more, a number of exemptions have been applied to certain outdoor sports – including, perhaps surprisingly, grouse shooting.

As well as the likes of football, hockey and netball, a number of more niche sports, like polo, sailing, angling, hunting and paintball, have been permitted to go ahead. The Chief Executive of the Countryside Alliance, Tim Bonner, announced on countryside-alliance.org that the new ‘regulations do, however, include exemptions for sporting and outdoor activities which will allow many rural activities, including hunting and shooting, to continue under strict Covid protocols.’

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He explained: ‘Any outdoor physical activity for which a licence has been issued by a public body for the activity itself, or for equipment used during the activity, will be exempt from the gathering limits. The organiser will be required to have undertaken a health and safety risk assessment and put in place all reasonable measures to limit transmission of COVID-19. Shooting activities where the organiser or any participant holds a valid shotgun or firearms certificate for the relevant activity will therefore be exempt.’

The announcement continues: ‘Sports gatherings for people who are not elite sportspersons to “take part in any sport or other fitness related activity” are also exempted from the gathering limits providing they are run by businesses or other organisations and operate Covid safe protocols. This will allow a range of outdoor activities to continue, including trail hunting.’

The MailOnline quotes Bonner as stressing that correctly organised shooting and hunting meets present ‘no serious risk’ to the spread of the virus, since the sports take place outdoors where social distancing can be implemented. Despite criticism from opponents of hunting, the announcement has been well received among those concerned for the rural economy, with Bonner stating: ‘Both hunting and shooting are intrinsic parts of the countryside, both economically and socially… Many areas of the countryside have suffered economically during the lockdown… In some areas, hunting and shooting are the main drivers of tourism in the winter months.’

The guidance does, however, have some caveats. It stipulates: ‘When participating in organised sport or licensed physical activity, you must not gather in groups of more than six before and after the activity. You must also ensure you socially distance from people you do not live with (or have formed a support bubble with) wherever possible. When playing sports informally with people you don’t live with, you must limit the size of your group to six. It is illegal to do so in a larger group and you may be fined.’

This means that while formal training with a football team, for example, is permitted, a social kickabout in the park with more than five friends is not.

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