*ViaSport Releases Return to Sport Guidelines for BC*
Amateur sports in BC have been waiting for viaSport’s Return to Sport guidelines in order to progress with their individual Return to Play plans.
Who is viaSport, according to the BC Government’s website, “viaSport, a non-profit organization, is government’s lead delivery agency for sport programs. It distributes Ministry funding to provincial and multi-sport organizations for programs and services for British Columbians involved in sport.”
The document gives a good idea of how amateur sport bodies in BC will proceed, including the BCRU.
The document can be viewed in full at the link below in .pdf format.
ViaSport Return to Sport Guidelines
Here are some salient points that relate to sports in general and some that apply specifically to “contact sports”.
– Prior to restarting, every organization must have an explicit plan for the measures they will implement and maintain over the coming 12 to 18 months. These plans must be in compliance with orders and guidance from the PHO (Public Health Officer), and must be made available to the public either by posting on the wall of the organizations facility or on its website.
– Each sport has unique issues which need to be factored into their own Return to Sport Plan.
– Sport is defined as any organized sport activity that involves a
number of people doing a physical activity together in a structured way and is facilitated by a Provincial Sport Organization or Local Sport Organization
– Recreation as defined by the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association is the experience that results from freely chosen participation in physical, social, intellectual, creative and spiritual pursuits that enhance individual and community wellbeing. Physical activities would include those undertaken as leisure, fitness training and sport-related activities that are done at the discretion of the individual (e.g. use of parks, hiking trails, public recreation facilities), either self-led or facilitated by recreation leaders and are not included within the context of this document.
– When determining whether or not your sport or organization is ready to resume sport activities it is important to note that at the time of publishing this document most insurance policies will not cover any claims relating to communicable diseases or pandemics and that most policies, including Directors and Officers Insurance, now include specific pandemic exclusions.
– Existing waivers, releases and/or participant agreements should be reviewed to confirm that they are broad enough to encompass COVID-19 related risks.
– Public health officials have indicated that the use of outdoor facilities are generally safer as there is greater ventilation and ability to physical distance.
– The Provincial Health Officer has banned gatherings of 50 or more. This ban is expected to remain in force until the end of the state of emergency.
– If the sport organization is a renter or facility user, it is important to understand what protocols are in place at the facility in order to assess the level of risk involved in utilizing the facility. As a renter or user, your PSO will need to be satisfied as to the sufficiency of the cleaning protocols in relation to the risks posed by your activities.
– In mid-May, B.C. entered into what is being referred to by the provincial government as Phase Two. Examples of possible sport-specific modifications: For contact sports move to non-contact skills training in small groups…
– Transition Measures (approx May 19th to September), contact activities should not occur, contact sports should look for non-contact alternatives for training.