Community sport is back, but there are still gaping holes in how clubs are meant to enforce the rules.
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Since October 18, fully vaccinated adults (aged 16 years and over), children under the age of 16, and people who have been issued with a medical contraindication certificate compliant with the Public Health Order have been allowed to take part in the outdoor activity that had been put on pause around the state for what has felt like an eternity.
But, issues that I have previously addressed have still not been rectified by the government, in fact there may even be more problems now than we originally anticipated.
But why listen to me when you can hear it from one of the sports that will be most impacted by the restrictions.
Netball NSW put out the following statement about the new rules.
"Disappointingly community sport is not specifically referenced in the Public Health Order changes (the previous section on sport and exercise has been omitted)," the statement said.
"Therefore, sport now falls under the general sections with the restrictions and requirements outlined below.
"Even though the NSW Government is now promoting that 'community sport can re-start' we are aware that this is going to be incredibly difficult, if not impossible, for many Associations due to the 200 person outdoor limit.
"This cap comes despite assurances from the Office of Sport that they were advocating for community sport limits to be based on density (ie 1 person per 4 square metres). As it stands currently, indoor community sport has no limit on the number of participants, provided the 1 person per 4 square metre rule and any requirements of the venue are met. However outdoor community sport is limited to 200."
Now, you might be thinking that 200 people at a community sporting event seems like a lot. You know what? You would probably be correct for the summer sports.
I can't imagine many cricket games garnering hundreds of fans, especially early on in the season.
But what about other sports?
NSW Touch Football has also hit out at the capping on numbers, and rightfully so I believe.
"While the NSWTA understands NSW Health position of capping at 200 persons, we feel as though this has been brought in with a view of community sport operating one or two fields at a venue, not centralised venues with multiple fields as per our sport," the organisation said in a statement.
"As such on the weekend we lodged a submission on behalf of the sport for an exemption to alter the PHO for all NSWTA Affiliated Touch Football entities.
"We hope to have a quick response and will advise once known.
"The limit will not mean competitions can not commence, but rather you will need to put measures in place like arrive, play, leave protocols, and their like to ensure you meet the PHO requirements."
Because there is no outline about how long the 200 person cap will last, this could well impact touch football here in Orange, especially if it carries on throughout the summer and into grand final time.
But the 200 person limit is not the only thing that sporting organisations are peeved about.
"Currently the re-opening roadmap indicates that from December 1, community sport will be permitted for all people," the statement from NSW Netball added.
"However, it should be noted that this date is indicative and could change. Further, there is no advice available at present to indicate if there will be limits on the number of people able to participate at that time.
"Despite ongoing requests from Netball NSW (and many other sports) the NSW Government has given no guidance on how volunteers are to enforce the mandatory vaccination requirements at community sport, other than to say that 'reasonable steps must be taken to ensure unvaccinated adults are not attending'."
And that last point is where I get annoyed.
We have previously been told that one of the main reasons that community sport was not allowed to go ahead was because it would be unfair to put sporting clubs - many of which are run on unpaid volunteers - in a position that they would have to enforce these government rules and potentially face fines as a result.
Now that the date has finally come and gone, there is still no indication from the government about how clubs are meant to police this.
It is hardly surprising though, as the government hasn't really provided any helpful information to businesses on this matter either, apart from telling them to create a COVID plan and leave them on their way.
Sure, there are some things that sports have always done that can aid in the checking of these restrictions, like team sheets. But even this places, in my mind, an unfair amount of stress on clubs that are already feeling the pinch from lost seasons.
So many grand finals were unable to go ahead and so many opportunity to crown championships were abandoned as a result of the lockdown.
Whether it was the right or wrong choice to force the stoppage of outdoor sport is up for debate, but what the government has shown over and over again is an inconsistency that it just maddening.
All I am asking for is a bit of clarity and a whole lot of consistency.