BC Athletics Announces Return to In-Club Competition

July 28, 2020 17:14pm

BC Athletics has worked closely with Athletics Canada and viaSport to develop our Return to Competition Guidelines, closely examining the many factors required to host safe and successful competitions on the Track, Roads, Parks, and Trails. We are pleased to announce a gradual Return to Competition that, at first, focuses on “In-Club” Competition with events comprised of those members of a single club or training group. (For the avoidance of doubt, only those athletes that train together on a regular basis, under the direction of a singular coach (or in some cases a coaching team), are eligible to take part in an “In-Club” Competition.) We hope that in doing so we can see a return to competition that allows athletes to test their fitness and training while achieving official marks eligible for Provincial and National Records and Rankings.

Below are important documents that must be followed in any BC Athletic Sanctioned Competition. A few important guidelines have also been highlighted.

Return to Competition Documents:

  1. Athletics Canada’s “Back on Track: Return to Competition Guidelines”.
  2. BC Athletics “Return to Competition Addendum”. Highlights additional or differing guidelines that have been set specifically for the Province of BC.
  3. BC Athletics “Return to Competition – Officials Guidelines”. Provides guidance to our officials in how they can return to officiating safely. 

Highlights:

  • It is the responsibility of each athlete, coach, and official to undertake their own personal risk assessment and determine whether they are willing and able to return to sport at this time. It is important to understand that no guidelines can eliminate the risk of exposure to COVID-19 that may result from participating in a public event such as a track and field, cross country, or road race competition.
  • All competitions must adhere to all Technical Rules as set forth by BC Athletics, Athletics Canada, and World Athletics. Host Organizing Committees are required to connect and coordinate with the Officials Regional Development Coordinators to ensure appropriate officiating for the event. 
  • Competitions are to only be comprised of those members of a single club or training group. For the avoidance of doubt, only those athletes that train together on a regular basis, under the direction of a singular coach (or in some cases a coaching team), are eligible to take part in an In-Club Competition.
  • All competitions must follow current BC Health guidelines. Current guidelines limit group gatherings to a maximum of 50 and continued use of physical distancing and hygiene measures.
    1. Maximum group size counts need to consider everyone that is in the facility / attending the event - staff, coaches, participants, spectators, etc.
    2. There must be sufficient space in the venue to allow for physical distancing between people; this means that in a smaller venue, occupancy limits may be much less than 50.
    3. The 50-person maximum is over the entire timeframe of the event, from setup to pack up. Currently, health authorities are NOT allowing staggered starts to extend the maximum person count and are considering the event, in its entirety, as one permit (50 people).
  • All Athletes, Coaches, Officials, Volunteers, Spectators/Parents/Guardians are required to register for the event. All registrations must be completed online, no late entries onsite. (No cash transactions). Contact information must be retained for thirty days in case there is a need for contact tracing on the part of the medical health officer, in which case the information must be provided to the medical health officer.
  • Competitions must appear on BC Athletics Calendar of Events a minimum of 15 days prior to the first day of competition.
  • All personnel, including athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, etc., must complete a daily symptom screening questionnaire to ensure that each person entering the site does not present COVID-19 symptoms.
  • All competitions will need to adhere to current health guidelines including physical distancing and hygiene measures.

Regional Variances:

  • We understand and appreciate that conditions vary across the province.
  • That in some regions, municipalities, cities, and communities there may be additional conditions (more than the Prov Health Officer/Govt of BC) in place as directed by the Local Health Authorities. Clubs and Event Directors will need to work with their LHAs and facilities as they look to return to hosting of competitions.
  • That the opening of facilities (date) or conditions for use may vary.

Thank you for your patience, understanding and help in the Return to Athletics in British Columbia.

 

Sincerely,

Greg White, Chair, BC Athletics Board of Directors

Brian McCalder, President/CEO, BC Athletics