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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
SOME sports and recreation activities in the country that had been iced due to the Covid-19 pandemic are set to resume anytime, albeit after meeting set minimum conditions as defined by the Sports and Recreation Commission as well as health authorities.

The sports and recreation activities have been classified into three different categories, ranging from high risk to low risk sport codes respectively with most of the crowd pulling sporting activities and those deemed to be contact sports being classified under the high risk codes.

Less contact sports like archery, swimming, cycling, golf, tennis, chess, darts, shooting, fencing and rowing have been pooled under the low risk sport codes and are likely to resume subject to the set guidelines.

SRC director-general Prince Mupazviriho yesterday wrote circulars to the leadership of National Sports Associations outlining various guidelines that have to be followed before resumption of activities.

“It is against this background that your sport code was catergorised as high risk thus implying that activities may not resume, but at the time of resumption, you will be required to submit to the SRC specific measures that your clubs will put in place for consideration by relevant and responsible national authorities.

“The measures should include, but not limited to the following; there must be temperature checks and sanitisers at the entrance of all club premises, all support staff, coaches and athletes off the field of play must wear face masks and gloves. However, athletes on the field of play don’t have to wear masks. Daily symptom checks for athletes, coaches and officials, thorough disinfection and cleaning before, during and after training session as well as ensure that athletes wash hands often with soap and running water or use sanitisers,” reads the statement from Mupazviriho.

High risk sport codes, according to the SRC are football, wrestling, boxing, basketball, waterpolo, volleyball, taekwondo, rugby, netball, judo, handball and field hockey.

Same conditions are required for low and medium risk sport codes, but for medium risk sport code competitions to be conducted, the associations will have to request special permission from the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, while for the low risk codes, the re-introduction is only directed at training and recreation and they must send to the SRC specific measures that individual clubs will put in place for consideration by the relevant and responsible national authorities.

The submissions for the low risk sport codes to get underway were expected by end of business yesterday.

Medium risk sport codes are badminton, baseball, lawn bowls, soft ball, triathlon, weightlifting and gymnastics, while the rest of the low risk sport codes are equestrian, drafts and motor sports.