SRC okays ‘low risk’ sporting activities

By Tafadzwa Chigandiwa

The Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) has granted low risk sporting activities the greenlight to resume.

The national sport associations of these sporting codes have been ordered to observe the country’s and World Health Organisation guidelines.

In a statement, sport associations were advised to write to the SRC, ensuring that they have formally accepted the conditions to adhere to all the Covid-19 protocols.

“Pursuant to the recently gazetted SI 170 of 2021, the following sports codes, classified as ‘low risk’ are hereby authorised to resume their activities in accordance with the their previously approved Covid-19 protocols, encompassing national and World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.

“The SRC is advising the relevant National Sport Associations of this development by seperate and direct email requiring that they acknowledge and accept the said correspondence and the health protocols and other conditions reiterated therein prior to any such resumption,” reads the SRC statement.

Sports that have been okayed under the ‘low risk’ sporting activities are; golf, cricket, tennis, teqball, table tennis, athletics and other indoor games etc.

The SRC added,”If any of the above activities are carried at a sports club, or other similar facilities, bars and changing rooms are to remain closed and any available resturants authorised to operate are to only accept take away orders.”

Furthermore, the statement also indicated that gyms shall remain closed and each competition granted greenlight must be applied separately through the SRC which will therefore submit its recommendations to the minister for approval.

However, the SRC’s recent call means all contact sporting activities such as football and rugby which are considered ‘high risk’ remain banned till further notice.

This comes after government recently introduced stricter lockdown restrictions banning all sporting activities in the country.

The suspension is in line with the Statutory Instrument (SI) 170 of 2021 which was gazetted on the 14th of June amid fears of a third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country.