Statement from Anthony McIntosh
Chief Executive Officer, Little Athletics Victoria
In recent days, Victorian community sports have been provided with the guidelines from Sport & Recreation Victoria to develop protocols for the resumption of modified training activities.
Primarily, LAVic is required to comply with rules, procedures and laws issued by the Victorian State Government. Other State Member Associations have the same requirement of their respective State/Territory Governments, and as such we can expect to see varying levels of progress towards the resumption of the sport across the country.
Back in Victoria, some of the larger sports, such as AFL Victoria and Netball Victoria, have released their comprehensive guidelines in recent days. Many of their protocols and procedures will be similar to those required of Little Athletics Centres. For all sports, the requirements are significant in number and scope.
The requirements will include:
- The physical distancing of 1.5m at all times;
- Training groups of athletes to not exceed 10 (exclusive of coaches);
- A ‘Get in; train; get out’ ethos, to minimise socialising before and after sessions;
- Clubrooms, pavilion, canteen to be closed (toilets, first aid & light switches can be accessed);
- A record of attendees to be taken at every session requiring athletes, parents/carers, coaches, officials etc to sign in;
- Centres to appoint at least one ‘COVID Safety Official’ responsible for ensuring compliance of sanctioned activities;
- Hygiene protocols for hand sanitisation, coughing & sneezing;
- Equipment disinfection procedures;
- Other additional requirements.
The implementation and ongoing compliance of these protocols will be challenging for those Centres that choose to proceed. Centres will have the choice to proceed under these conditions, or not proceed, and those wishing to proceed will be required to attest their ability to comply with the conditions set out. Authorisation to proceed will be granted by LAVic.
As part of this process, the COVID Safe Official will be required to register via an online portal prior to LAVic sanctioning that appointment and the resumption of modified activities. Insurance will only be granted to the sanctioned activity once approval is given by LAVic that the activity and Centre is compliant with the return to modified training protocols.
Centres are advised to contact their facility/reserve management body – Local Government Organisation, the committee of management, collective sporting body etc – well in advance of re-commencement.
For our affiliated Centres based in NSW, LAVic will advise on the rules that apply under the jurisdiction of the NSW State Government once released in coming weeks.
A reminder that, for the time being, all Little Athletics training and competition activity remains suspended. As such, it is not sanctioned or insured.
LAVic continues to develop its guidelines and will be releasing them very soon so we can restart our sport with minimal risk of COVID-19 transmission at our Centres.
Thanks for your ongoing patience and stay active!
