Elite athletes and professional sportsmen and women can resume performance training under new guidance published by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), in a significant step towards a safe resumption of live sport behind closed doors.
The guidance has been developed in close consultation with the Deputy Chief Medical Officers of England, Public Health England and medical representatives across Olympic, Paralympic and professional sports governing bodies.
It will help to ensure athletes can initially carry out individual performance training at an official elite training venue, under carefully controlled medical conditions, providing they keep two metres apart at all times from their teammates and other people outside their household. All athletes and staff must also adhere to the existing social distancing guidelines travelling to and from, and during, training at this stage, and adhere to all other restrictions applying to the general population outside training.
Guidance on step one comes into effect immediately. Step two will incorporate a level of social clustering, so that players can get match-fit ahead of any resumption of competitive, top level sport once medical experts advise this is safe and appropriate.