Basketball in England to remain at Level 1 of Return To Play Roadmap

With the Government delaying the final step out of lockdown, Basketball England can confirm the sport will remain at Level 1 of the Return to Play Roadmap. 

National restrictions had been set to be removed on 21 June but Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced today that has been put on hold for an additional four weeks following a raise in COVID-19 infection rates. 

The situation will be assessed in two weeks with the PM “confident” no delay beyond 19 July will be needed.

What is permitted at Level 1? 

Defined as any level (elite, youth and senior) of basketball undertaken by Basketball England affiliated clubs and registered members at Return To Play Level 1. 

• Organised outdoor and indoor organised basketball permitted - maximum 30 people per court 
• Competitive basketball in outdoor and indoor settings - see Game Day Guidance for roles and maximum numbers 
• Spectators are allowed indoors, but the total number of all in attendance - participants, coaches, officials and spectators - must be agreed by and aligned to the capacity permitted by the venue. See Game Day Guidance 

What are the key considerations at Level 1? 

Full details of the process and protocols that should be followed can be found here. We have also created template risk assessment documents and a raft of supporting resources which are located here. However, the main considerations are: 

• Screening – All participants must complete our screening form and have their temperature checked before entering the venue. Participants should be encouraged to self-assess against the main symptoms of Covid-19 before leaving home
• Hygiene – Regular hand and equipment santisation during sessions/games, this should occur at least every 20 minutes. All common-touch areas (door handles etc) should be cleaned after the session finishes and before the next session starts 
• Venue set-up – Adequate space should be given to each participant so that whilst they are not on the court (in training or games) they are socially distanced from others 
• Number of people – Up to 30 people per court for training session and our game day guidance (including roles etc) followed for any competitive game 
• Use of face coverings – Is still applicable for coaches, support staff and any spectators. Players should be encouraged to wear face coverings when not playing 
• Spectators – Are permitted but the total number of all in attendance must be agreed and aligned to the capacity of the venue 
• Carpooling – Is permitted where individual travel isn’t possible. Self-assessment of symptoms prior to any carpooling taking place is a must 

What support is available if an issue is identified? 

All Covid-19 issues identified regardless of whether additional support is needed or not should be reported to Basketball England using the Covid-19 incident reporting form. 

Our team will then contact you to discuss the matter further. In addition you can also contact [email protected] if you have any questions in relation to our processes and protocols.