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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter

The Government is set to publish a Statutory Instrument authorising low risk sports to resume activities on Wednesday following the relaxation of lockdown restrictions by President Mnangagwa on Monday.

Sporting activities were iced in January this year following an upsurge in Covid-19 cases which forced the Government to impose stricter restrictions, including a ban in inter-city travel.

In a statement on Tuesday night, the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) said the determination of what constitutes a low-risk sport remains the sole domain of the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation.

“The SRC wishes to advise that on the 3rd of March, the Government of Zimbabwe will publish a Statutory Instrument authorising the resumption of those sports activities to be classified as low risk. The determination of what constitutes low risk sport remains the prerogative or the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation as communicated to the relevant National Sports Association (NSA) by the SRC including the conditions to which such resumption will be subject to.

“Therefore, procedurally upon publishing of the said statutory instrument, the Minister will in the first instance notify the SRC as to which sport disciplines have been classified as low risk,” read the statement.

After getting notification from the Minister, the SRC will communicate it directly to the NSA concerned, notifying its categorisation as a low-risk sport and the conditions, if any, to which it should adhere to in resuming activity.

It said once communication has been done to the NSA, it would no longer be necessary for the relevant NSA or sports discipline to apply afresh for resumption of activities.

“All persons seeking to engage in the cartegorised low risk sport must engage their respective NSA for guidance.

For the avoidance of doubt, no NSA or sport discipline shall resume any activity until and unless it has received the said communication from the SRC and has confirmed receipt of the same along with the conditions stated therein.”

Some of the low-risk sports that had been authorised to resume activities last year prior to the January announcement on sports suspension include athletics, swimming, golf, tennis, cycling, cricket, equestrian, rowing and triathlon, among others.