Introduction
- The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all of us in varying degrees with many experiencing social isolation and deteriorations in their general well-being. The resumption of cricket activities can significantly contribute to the reestablishment of normality in Singapore society.
- Collectively, the cricket community must play a role to help slow the spread of COVID-19. The safe reintroduction of cricket activities requires thorough planning and safe implementation and would be reintroduced in a cautious and methodical manner, based on the best available resources to optimize community safety.
- The aim of SCA is to ensure that cricket is conducted in accordance with Singapore Government advisories and we are all able to check-in & check-out safely while resuming to partake in cricketing activities without posing a danger to the community and ourselves in cooperation with all stakeholders including the cricket clubs.
Safety first approach
- The SCA’s priority is the wellbeing of the entire cricket community.
- The resumption of cricket activities should begin only if there is no perceived or known risk that doing so might result in an increase in the local Covid -19 transmission rate.
- Ensure that every effort should be made by all stakeholders that any risks associated with the cricket environment i.e. commuting to and from ground, field of play, training venue, changing rooms, equipment, management of the ball, etc. have been mitigated before any training session or match or cricket activity.
- The Guidelines are not limited to above and it’s individual stakeholder’s responsibility to read, understand and adhere with all measures stipulated in SportSG’s advisory for Phase 3 (HERE) and prevailing government guidelines before permitted to resume operations.
Guidelines & who should follow?
Singapore Government, SportSG & ICC have instructed set of Guidelines with respect to Covid-19.
The Guidelines are applicable to the following groups.
- National Men’s and Women’s Teams (training & matches)
- Age group squads and representative squads (u16, u19,
- junior development cricket)
- The SCA academy
- SCA league – outdoor & indoor
- Private academies
- Private leagues
- Social cricket
- EPS
- International fixtures and non-international status fixtures
All the above activities will be allowed to start upon getting
approval from SCA
Please find the SportSG’s guidelines HERE
General measures
- All grounds & facility owners must appoint Safe Management Officers (SMOs) who are briefed to oversee and ensure that the required Safe Management Measures are in place
- All grounds & facility owners should document Safe Management Plan and make it available on site for inspection by the authorities
- All grounds, training facilities should should have a dedicated entry/exit point with Safe Entry (Use of ‘trace together’ app and daily temperature screening)
- All grounds and training facilities must ensure safe distancing of 1m is maintained all the time and everyone is wearing masks
- Personnel who are unwell, on Stay Home Notice or Quarantined Order should not be allowed to enter the grounds or training facilities
- Matches are not allowed during Phase 2 as maximum number of people allowed for a group activity is 8, with addition of 1 coach or official.
Education
- Educational material to promote required behaviors like hygiene practices, no sharing of equipment, and those relevant to cricket like not using saliva on cricket ball, frequent handwashing, sanitizing measures should be displayed in all grounds and training facilities (by facility owners)
- Webinar sessions to be conducted to educate all clubs, grounds and training facilities (by SCA)
Screening and tracing
- Facilities can only admit a maximum number of persons according to its Gross Floor Area. Favility capacity is based on 8 Sqm per person or maximum 50 persons, whichever is lower.
- Only players, match officials and minimum support staff must be allowed entry into the grounds and training facilities
- There should a strict management of queuing system and space management at the entry and exit points (by facility owners) as well as nets, changing rooms, washrooms and other closed areas whether people could gather together.
Measures during training – distancing and size limitation
- Masks must be worn as a default at all times, unless when engaging in strenuous activities
- Saliva must not be used on the ball
- Small training groups (maximum 8 persons with 1 additional coach or official) and staggered training timings should be implemented to prevent overcrowding in training facilities
- If there is more than 1 group of 8 persons sharing a space, the different groups must not interact and must maintain a distance of 3 metres apart from one another at all times.
- For modified games (e.g. 4v4) – No more than 1 group of 8 players and 1 coach/official in total can partake in any cricket modified game together in one pitch or court
- Practice nets may be used by only one group of maximum (8+1) persons at a time. Other groups must maintain a distance of 3m away.
- Field positioning rules should be modified to maintain safe
distancing - Transmission of COVID-19 is greater for indoor sports activity, therefore, extra caution should be taken for indoor cricket to limit the participation to 8 persons, and also follow queuing system while entering and exiting the facilities
- Individuals are advised to come dressed from home to train and also shower at home post training
- No sharing of drink bottles, towels and personal equipment
- No socializing or group meals before, during or after training and lingering around facilities before or after trainings
- No unnecessary body contact like hand shake, high fives etc. or close contact exercises
General hygiene guidelines
- All personnel should minimize the use of communal facilities like toilet, gyms and changing rooms at grounds and training facilities
- All grounds and training facilities must have hand sanitizers at entry and exit and should encourage all personnel to sanitize their hands with increased frequency
- Training facilities, changing rooms, common cricket equipment like stumps, areas like pavilion etc. must be disinfected between matches/training sessions
- Use of shared equipment must be identified and minimized and in the case of unavoidable ones, there should be a dedicated cleaning time for these equipment
- All grounds and facilities must be well ventilated and aired at
regular intervals
References
SportSG – Advisory For Resumption Of Sport And Physical Exercise and Activity For Phase Three “Safe Nation” –
https://www.sportsingapore.gov.sg/Newsroom/Media-
Releases/2020/Advisory-For-Resumption-Of-Sport-And-Physical-
Exercise-,-a-,-Activity-For-Phase-Three-(%e2%80%9cSafe-
Nation%e2%80%9d)
COVID-19 advice https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novelcoronavirus-
2019/advice-for-public
Clean care – hand washing guidance
https://www.who.int/gpsc/clean_hands_protection/en/
Q & A on coronaviruses (COVID-19)
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus- 2019/question-and-answers-hub/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses
WHO – COVID 19 posters
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-
2019/advice-for-public
Ministry of Health – https://www.moh.gov.sg/covid-19/resources
ICC – https://www.icc-cricket.com/news
*Refer to the respective websites for regular updates.
*The Guidelines are not limited to above and it’s individual stakeholder’s responsibility to read, understand and adhere with SportSG and prevailing government advisories.
Name of Author: Singapore Cricket Association
The Singapore Cricket Association is the governing body for cricket in Singapore, with headquarters in Stadium Crescent, Singapore. An associate member of the International Cricket Council since 1974, it also belongs to the Asian Cricket Council.
