With Vawdon Cup now only 5 weeks away, Affiliates will be well underway with team training sessions at your venues.

It is an opportunity to provide further clarity and general reminders.

It has been advised that NSW Health will be conducting random checks on sporting organisations to ensure that there is Safety Plan in place and IMPORTANTLY that the plan is on-site and available to an inspector if requested.

We suggest that this should be in hard copy form for ease of use and be the most current endorsed version, along with a copy of the NSWTA endorsement letter.

Affiliates are doing a great job of implementing safety and hygiene precautions for organised competitions; however, there may be a tendency to become complacent regarding team training at venues and the protocols that must be followed.

For clarity;

A safety plan is not required for a group of 20 or less training. This has been consistent since the restrictions began to ease, however at Stage B, the group size was limited to 10 and was not to interact with other groups.

In a practical sense if an Affiliate has more than 1 team training at a venue at any one time and the number of people exceeds 20 in total than a safety plan is required. The view is that the activity is conducted by or on behalf of an entity that is registered under the Associations Incorporation Act 2009.

Coaches and/or Managers must have a copy of the plan on-site and available for inspection. This plan could be a reduced version of your endorsed safety plan.

NSWTA recommends Affiliates schedule and issues regular communications to members and participants to review the NSW Health hotspot website prior to attending training and/or competition via COVID LATEST NSW NEWS

The Mysideline Communicator or direct emails or email newsletters as well as social media and website posts are encouraged.

General Information Reminders

Social distancing between individuals at community sporting events MUST be 1.5m – this includes all spectators.

Failure to adhere to social distancing may cause an immediate review of community sports activity by the Government.

Social distancing is only relaxed for:

• Participants who are training or competing on the field of play (note: reserves/substitutes must stand or be seated 1.5m apart);
• Family members from the same household;
• When medical attention is required. In all other cases – including queues for the canteen, BBQs, drinks etc. – social distancing of 1.5m       MUST be maintained at all times.

For our Affiliates and Regions remember that your COVID Safety plans need to be followed, and it is Government mandated that a copy is kept at the venue/clubhouse with the Duty Officer aware of its location for access and inspection by an authorised officer if required.

If you have yet completed and had approved your COVID Safety Plan, please contact the NSWTA, and we will assist you in this process.

Further information will be published on the NSWTA COVID-19 page as it becomes available. NSWTA has uploaded a resource for implementing QR codes.

NSW PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER No 4 – SUMMARY

Best wishes, and stay safe.

Dean Russell
General Manager