Sports adjust to Covid-19

SPORTS codes are making the most of their Covid-19 induced predicament, says Namibia Sports Commission chief administrator Simataa Freddy Mwiya.

Mwiya expressed satisfaction on Tuesday when answering a query regarding the compliance with state of emergency guidelines by the federations.

The Sports Commission on Monday announced that during the phase three lockdown from 1 to 29 June, 30 non-contact codes, up from 26 last month, may carry out specified activities.

Jukskei, kendo, fencing as well as powerlifting and weightlifting were added to the approved list. Not all forms of the authorised codes are allowed partial action. For instance, only rhythmic, aerobics, trampoline and tumbling gymnastics are approved while artistic is not.

Likewise, only the singles are permitted for badminton, tennis, table tennis and squash.

Under stage three, some sports disciplines may hold competitions but without spectators. During the previous stage, only training at sporting facilities, which must be disinfected before use, was permitted.

These measures do not apply to Erongo region which on Monday reverted to stage 1 lockdown until 22 June.

“Based on reports and inspections, there is satisfactory compliance with the regulations. Recently horse-racing held an event without spectators. It went well, in terms of meeting the requirements, even though there were no supporters,” Mwiya told The Namibian Sport.

Namibia had 31 confirmed cases with 16 recoveries and 15 active cases by Tuesday. A total of 4 970 people were tested and 496 contacts have been identified and are being monitored.

Sports centres are required to observe strict precautionary measures or risk being shut down, Mwiya said.

“The only issue we have observed is with regard to social activities. When you drive around Windhoek for example, you will find people playing street soccer and other games. Unfortunately, we inspect sports arenas and not the streets. We cannot become police officers, so I urge our law enforcement to take up this issue,” Mwiya explained.

The following codes are cleared for resumption during stage 3 of the emergency exit plan: Athletics (no equipment sharing), archery, badminton (singles), bowls (compulsory to wear gloves), canoeing and rowing (singles), chess, cricket, cycling, swimming (open water), karate (single form).

Also cleared were darts, dance sports, equestrian and horse racing, freshwater anglers, fist ball, golf, gymnastics (rhythmic, aerobics, trampoline and tumbling), motor sports, seawater angling, shooting, tennis and table tennis (singles), triathlon, waterski, jukskei, kendo, fencing and powerlifting/weightlifting.

Unapproved codes – boxing, judo, kick boxing, rugby, wrestling, netball, basketball, karate (two form fighting), dance sports (duo/group dancing), football, hockey, inline hockey, volleyball, gymnastics (artistic), and squash, tennis and table tennis (doubles).