This week marks an important next step towards the return of sport in communities across the country with indoor sports courts and swimming pools now able to reopen in line with the latest Scottish Government public health guidance.

The Scottish Sports Governing Bodies Forum and Executive Group welcomes Monday’s communication from Stewart Harris, CEO, sportscotland announcing the release of a £1.5m COVID Support Fund to support Scotland’s sporting system (Sportscotland set up £1.5m Covid support fund for governing bodies). This timely statement recognises that whilst progress has been made with the re-opening of sports facilities across Scotland, this does not mean a full restart of sport as we know it and that many sports, particularly those reliant on accessing indoor sports facilities for Club training and competition, face a much slower return as local Trusts and leisure operators take a cautious and phased approach to the re-opening of their facilities.

We want to see more progress made in line with the latest public health guidance at all levels of sport, to ensure that clubs and local communities have access to facilities. The SGB Forum continues working with partners across the sporting system including sportscotland, the Scottish Government and Local Authorities and Local Trusts to bring about the safe return of sport, and is committed to ensuring that all of Scotland’s sports club members, volunteers and communities can access critical and much loved sporting and physical activity opportunities as soon as possible.

However, whilst there is a clear desire from all partners to reopen facilities and get our sports into these facilities as quickly as is safely possible, the ongoing difficulties presented by COVID-19, including facility staff on furlough, training requirements and venue remodelling to comply with social distancing measures, means that it is unlikely that all venues will be able to reopen fully for some time to come.

In the meantime, as a sector, we need the support, understanding and backing of all our Clubs and Members now more than ever as we work to protect the rich sporting fabric of our nation and strive to bring sporting activity back to being at the heart of our Scottish communities once more.

The Scottish Governing Bodies Forum.

On Thursday the 9^th of July the First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon announced that Scotland will move to Phase 3 of the Scottish Government’s route map out of lockdown regulations which will see the gradual easing of some key restrictions.

Based on the latest guidance set out by the Scottish Government, Netball Scotland has worked with sportscotland and the Scottish Government to develop an overview of practical guidelines for Members and Clubs to follow so that they can be clear on what this latest Phase means for our sport and, most importantly, to continue to protect the health and wellbeing of our Members and local communities at this critical time.

We would like to advise that today’s announcement (13^th July) regarding young people in Scotland being able to participate in organised outdoor sports DOES NOT apply to netball.

Find our Return to Netball Guidance document here!

We will shortly be launching our Return to Netball Hub on the Netball Scotland website providing information and guidance for Clubs and Members. We will upload more information to this Hub in the coming weeks.

Phase 3 key changes and updates:

• You are now able to meet with up to 5 other households, 1 being your own, outside, up to a maximum of 15 people, and maintaining a physical distance of 2 meters at all times.

Netball Activity Remains Suspended:

While organised outdoor contact sports can resume for children and young people providing all activity is consistent with current Scottish Government guidance on health, physical distancing and hygiene from 13^th July 2020, Netball Scotland have taken the decision that, for the time being, all netballing activities in Scotland – including small sided games, formalised training, match play and competitions – remain suspended as the health and wellbeing of our Members remains our number one priority.

This decision will be reviewed in line with the latest Government advice and alongside the normal timeline of our Season commencement.

In the meantime, we encourage you to take part in outdoor individual netball fitness activity with no more than 15 people from 5 other households (1 to be your own). Netball fitness activity consists of individual activities that focus on building fitness and developing your ball handling skills. It can include wall work and ball familiarisation drills. However, participants should not share equipment with anyone outside of their household and should keep a minimum of 2m apart at all times.

You can find ideas for individual activities on the Netball Scotland website here!

General Guidance:

• Face coverings are now mandatory in retail and public transport settings.
• If you are showing any signs of COVID-19, including a cough, fever or loss of smell or taste you must self-isolate and must not meet up with people outside of your household. Click here to read more about the symptoms and what to do if you have them.
• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before leaving home and again when you return. Carry an alcohol-based hand sanitiser for use outside your home. Find guidance on this here.
• Avoid touching surfaces such as court gates, fences, benches, and netball posts where possible. If you do, sanitise your hands before handling your equipment and do not touch your face.
• Do not share equipment, including balls, with anyone outside of your household and ensure to sanitise your equipment thoroughly before and after use.

We have created an infographic guidance booklet detailing the relevant guidance Clubs and Members should adhere to for phase 3 view this here!

Next Steps:

Netball is higher risk than many other team sports. As we are predominantly an indoor sport and players are in close contact, often with face to face marking, this means that there are more health and safety complexities to consider for all of our Clubs and Members, and subsequently the return for our sport differs from other outdoor contact sports such as cricket, football or rugby. We are working hard on developing a safe and appropriate Return to Netball Plan for all of our Clubs and Members, working closely with sportscotland, Local Authorities and Trusts, and other key Partners to ensure that we all can get back onto court in the new season.

We want to take this moment to thank our Members for understanding the intricacies of our Return to Netball and for helping us plan our return to sport strategy by participating in our Return To Netball Survey – the response was incredible and has provided us with critical insight and a clear direction of travel.

For more information on the survey, or to share your feedback with us click here!