Specific guidelines to be followed while engaging in different sport activities have been issued.
The directives from the Youth and Sport Affairs Ministry list racing, horse riding, martial arts, football, golf and other sports.
“In horse riding facilities, the bridle and saddle are to be disinfected before and after training,” it said, adding that each person must bring their own equipment and refrain from sharing it with others.
“In motorsport, cars, karts and motorcycles are to be cleaned and disinfected before and after each use and the contestant is the only person permitted to ride the car or motorcycle.
“Equipment cannot be shared.”
Martial arts can only be practised individually, due to the difficulty of maintaining physical distance with others.
Among events on playgrounds, the number of players and coaches have been stipulated.
In football, a maximum of 22 players and five coaches are to be distributed accordingly with balls and other equipment to be disinfected after each training session.
A maximum of six players and one coach are to be distributed accordingly in basketball, while a maximum of eight players and one coach in case of volleyball.
A different set of balls is preferred for each group and must be collected by the designated staff, in all the games.
Training swimming lanes must consider physical distancing while group training is allowed with only one person per lane.
Swimmers must bring their own equipment and must adhere to the regulations set by the Health Ministry.
“While cycling and running, people must exercise individually and at different times throughout the day,” it said.
“Group training in outdoor spaces is allowed, with a maximum of five people per group, but not encouraged.
“In cricket, group training is permitted, provided that the number of participants in a session does not exceed eight persons, while training nets are allowed with a maximum of six players per net.
Equipment
“Players must bring their own equipment.”
In golf, only three players are permitted at tee time, with a gap of 30 minutes between each tee time. Baggage locomotives are prohibited, and players must put their own bags on golf carts.
Only one person is permitted per golf cart. Flags, floor markings and cache marks may only be removed by assigned staff and players must bring their own golf balls.
Rugby group training is allowed, with a maximum of 10 participants in each session, including trainers.
Bowling ball must be cleaned and disinfected before and after use and players must bring their personal tools and equipment and not share them with others.
Only two players are allowed per game of billiards and snooker and hands must be sanitised before touching the balls.
In racket sports, any shared equipment such as bats, target cones, balls, nets, tables, surrounding glass, must be disinfected between every separate use.
“It is preferred to use a ball throwing machine in lessons to avoid touching the ball. Disinfect tubes and baskets after each use,” said the ministry.
In tennis, a maximum of four players and one coach, in table tennis, a maximum of one player and one coach, and in badminton, a maximum of four players and one coach is allowed.
Squash must be played individually with walls and equipment continually disinfected, with increased ventilation.
Among the common guidelines are health and hygiene norms of social distancing, hand washing, use of sanitisers and wearing face masks and gloves.
Social gatherings and sharing food and beverages are prohibited in the facilities and shared water coolers are not allowed.
At sport academies and training schools, all health guidelines are to be followed while audiences or spectators are not allowed.
Only those who are aged 15 years and above can enter the facility and others must provide a written consent letter from their parents.
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