COVID-19 WINTER PLAN FOR MARTIAL ARTS INSTRUCTORS
LATEST GOVERMENT GUIDANCE
I’m sure by now you’ve all had the opportunity to read through the COVID-19 Winter Plan, most of the guidance is clear but some are ambiguous and leave room for questions, but we are used to that by now! Here is my interpretation:
Exercise
Tier 1 & 2: All can train to ensure you follow strict social distancing protocols
Tier 3: Only Under 18s, elite athletes and disabled people can continue. We understand that adults are excluded based on this “Group exercise activities and sports indoors should not take place, unless with household or bubble. Organised activities for elite athletes, under 18s and disabled people can continue”
This is also backed up by point 58. c. which states “in the very highest tier, indoor group exercise (including sports) will be restricted to people from the same household or bubble”
Indoor leisure e.g. gyms and swimming
Open: This is confusing to our understanding of whether adults can therefore train in Tier 3. If they are permitted to train individually in a gym, we believe that should permit them to train individually at your School. We will seek further clarification on this.
We were pleased to see that all tier restrictions will now be standardised rather than negotiated with local areas, we feel this will make guidance clearer.
Travelling
Our understanding is that it is advised that all travel is to be avoided in any tier except where necessary (work, education, youth services, medical attention or caring responsibilities). However, we would stress that this is the responsibility and decision to be made by the individual (in your case the parent/student), not by you. We do not feel it is your duty to cross-check the address of every training student.
I hope this helps for now but I will keep a close check on Sport England and guidance from other governing bodies so we can get to the bottom of the rules for adults.
For more guidance read more here: https://www.sportengland.org/how-we-can-help/coronavirus
