Table 1

A summary of the key considerations for stages 1–3

Stage 1
Individuals or groups of individuals training but adhering to strict social distancing at all times		Stage 2
Close contact training for groups of athletes or teams where strict social distancing cannot be observed at all times		Stage 3
Domestic competition – no spectators
Maintenance of strict SD both within and outside of the training environment,
Named COVID-19 officer and medical leads
Risk assessment and risk mitigation plan.
Athletes and support staff to actively ‘opt in’ with clear education, written consent and without discrimination.
Defined policies for:

  • Vulnerable individuals or those in a household with vulnerable individuals.

  • Physician review before starting stage 1.

  • Daily symptom screening.

  • Sports to consider daily temperature testing.

  • COVID-19 case management, notification and contact tracing as per PHE guidelines.

  • Facility and equipment cleaning standards.

Maintenance of strict SD at all times aside from close contact training activities.
Risk assessment and mitigation strategy with specific reference to the number, duration and nature of close and face-to-face contacts during all training activities.
Training activities, where possible to take place outdoors, and modified so that close and face to face contact is kept to a reasonable minimum consistent with effective training.
Changes in training practice and environments such that there is avoidance of shared equipment /surfaces wherever possible.
Meticulous records of player groups and interactions are to be kept.
Athletes and support staff to actively ‘opt in’ with clear education, written consent and without discrimination.
Sports to assess the need for enhanced testing over and above symptom screening.		SD maintained wherever possible, supported by venue zoning with a priority on separating athletes and their support staff and personnel from all other user groups in the venue.
Risk assessment and mitigation strategy where SD is not possible, including field of play and team areas.
Clear roles and responsibilities and decision making structure between competition delivery partners and elite sport organisations.
COVID-19 competition venue and COVID-19 risk assessment and mitigation plans.
Athletes, support and event user groups to actively ‘opt in’ with written consent and without discrimination.

  • PHE, Public Health England; SD, social distancing.