Athletics South Africa (ASA) has announced that official meetings and controlled competition activity will resume on November 1 under the government’s strict Covid-19 medical and safety protocols.

Road running events are back, but will be limited to distances of not more than 10km. This includes park runs, cross country and trail running.

Races over longer distances are regarded as high-risk events and are therefore not allowed. A maximum of 500 athletes will be allowed for road running, cross-country, trail running and park runs.

For track and field, the maximum number of participants at a competition venue at any given time may not exceed 500 (including athletes, technical officials, volunteers, medical team, media and stadium workers).

At both road running and track & field events, no spectators will be allowed. All rules and restrictions pertaining to the allowed events will be reviewed at the end of December 2020 in consultation with the Sports and Health Departments.

During the period of 1 November to 31 December 2020, only licensed athletes will be allowed to compete in ASA accredited events and this includes temporary licensed athletes. Temporary licenses will be issued at provincial level at least 48 hours before competition to prevent a large gathering seeking licenses on race day.

“We are also entering a new era as an athletics family in the country as we begin to claw our way back to an unknown future under a new order of sporting life. However, while we look at returning to partial activity under the new order of things, let us not forget that the priority is still to first save lives since the Corona virus is still very much with us,” said Aleck Skhosana, President of ASA.

ASA also said where relevant, staggered starts must be employed to mitigate big groups and in the case of running events, one water point with ample water tables may be permitted and must be manned by masked volunteers who will be required to sanitise their hands after every group of runners has passed.

All water sachets must be pre-ordered (at least 72 hours), treated and safely kept until race day.

The volunteers who handle the sachets must wear gloves and must be screened accordingly. This means volunteers and race marshals must be trained in the Covid protocols, and will have to enforce acceptable social distancing and make sure water bottles are not shared.

Only water sachets that are supplied at the official water stations by the trained marshals or volunteers will be allowed during a race.

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