In his House of Commons statement yesterday, Boris Johnson said that the ‘rule of 6’ is being extended to indoor adult team sports – anyone aged 18 years and over.
To what extent will our sport be affected?
Swim England today clarified the situation for BWPL, confirming that sessions will be limited to training and playing in bubbles of six people only but that “the new rules state that organised indoor sport or exercise classes can take place in larger numbers, provided groups of more than six do not mix.
“This means six could play a three-versus-three game in one area of the pool, while another group of six do the same in a different part of the water.”
The latest guidance does not apply to under-18 indoor team sports, which can carry on as before. Swim England is seeking further clarification on how this applies to mixed groups of athletes aged over 18 and under 18, but the current interpretation is that each group must be limited to six. It is also understood that coaches are not included in the six as long as they maintain social distancing. For details of today’s Swim England statement, go to https://www.swimming.org/waterpolo/clarity-coronavirus-restrictions/.