Provincial Health Order Update May 10, 2021

BC Athletics

March 16, 2021

BC ATHLETICS UPDATE - UPDATED PROVINCE WIDE RESTRICTIONS

May 10, 2021 - Restrictions on travel between regions in the province.

Effective until midnight on May 25, 2021, travel between provincial zones (Vancouver Coastal/Fraser Health, Island Health, Interior/Northern Health) is not permitted for non-essential reasons. Therefore, athletes, coaches or officials must not travel for training or competition outside their provincial zone, this includes those athletes identified by CSI-P under the high performanc exemption. The only allowance is to those athletes who have a current agreement with Sport Canada. More information can be found here:

March 16, 2021 - Provincial Order Changes

Adults 22 and over, may now meet in groups of 10 outdoors, revised from the previous restriction of 4. The 10 is inclusive of all group members involved, coaches, officials and athletes. Indoor adult restrictions remain at 2. Anyone not in the field of play must maintain a 3m physical separation and should wear a mask.

Clarification on “In-Club Performance Trials” and CSIP / High Performance Athletes.

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GENERAL SPORT REQUIREMENTS
1. Social Gatherings:
  1. No in-person social gatherings of any size (indoor and/or outdoors), before or after sport.
2. Training Environment Safety - Daily Screening:
  1. A daily screening should already be included in every club and training groups existing COVID-19 safety plan. Conduct routine daily symptom screenings for all coaches, volunteers, and participants. Wellness questionnaires and use of self-assessment tools are recommended.
    1. BC COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool.
    2. SAMPLE Athlete Check-In Document
3. Attendance Tracking:
  1. Organizers must collect the first and last names and telephone number, or email address, of everyone who attends a training session or competition.
  2. Retain this information 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.
  3. Destroy the information after thirty days.
  4. Avoid having athletes change training groups from day to day or week to week.
4. 2nd Claim Club Memberships:
  1. Athletes who hold a 2nd Claim Club Membership, are asked to select a single club for this period and train exclusively with that club.
5. Mask requirements in public indoor settings:
  1. As part of the Province-wide restrictions currently masks are required for all public indoor settings.
  2. As outlined in the mask mandate order, masks are required for everyone in many public indoor settings. A face shield is not a substitute for a mask as it has an opening below the mouth.
  3. Masks are required in any indoor public settings. This includes:
    1. Community Centres
    2. Recreation Centres
    3. Sport or fitness facilities when not working out
  4. Coaches and Non-Athletes:
    1. Must wear a mask at all times during practice and approved In-Club Youth Performance Trials. No exceptions.
    2. All non-athletes - Coaches, Officials, Youth Performance Trial Organizers must remain outside the field of play during an In-Club Youth Performance Trial.
  5. Coaches must wear a mask at all times, including doing any warm-up activities with athletes. This includes: running, stretching, bounding, high knee drills and anything that is part of a warm-up activity.
  6. Coaches must wear a mask at all times – which includes on the field of play during a practice session.
  7. Physical distancing of 3 metres must be maintained at all times.
    1. Athletes & coaches are asked to maintain a physical distance of three metres from one another and do not engage in handshaking, high fives, or similar behaviour.
  8. There are mask exemptions for:
    1. People with health conditions or with physical, cognitive, or mental impairments who cannot wear one
    2. People who cannot remove a mask on their own
    3. Children under the age of 12
  9. For more information please refer to the Province-wide restrictions and the mask mandate order contained within.
6. Spectators
  1. No spectators are allowed at any youth sport activities under the order. The only people allowed to attend sport activities are those that provide care to a participant or player. For example, coaches or person designated to provide first aid.
7. For all age groups, except CSIP, ONLY travel to your home club is permitted, where your club / group regularly trains or practices.
8. Individuals should avoid carpooling with other club/group members.

COMPETITIONS
1. During the period covered by this order the only competitions that may be held are “In-Club Performance Trials”.
  1. The definition of “In-Club Performance Trials” can be found here.
2. “In-Club” is defined as, only those athletes who regularly train as part of a BC Athletics member club or training group.
  1. CSIP / High Performance Athletes may hold trials with ONLY other CSIP / HP Athletes.
  2. A Varsity Program/Group may hold trials ONLY within their own and amongst their own Varsity Group.
  3. A club may hold trials ONLY within their own club members. “In-Club” is defined as, only those athletes who regularly train as part of a BC Athletics member club or training group.
  4. Each of these groups (CSIP / Varsity / Club) must remain separate and distinct. They are NOT allowed in the same competitions or events.
3. OFFICIALS – Clubs and varsity performance trials, must use officials drawn from within their own club member officials.
  1. ONLY exception is for CSIP Performance Trials, where officials may be drawn from your region.

AGE RELATED RESTRICTIONS AND DIVISIONS
1. Adult Group Sport (i.e. sport for those 22 years of age or older)
  1. Means a sporting activity involving more than one person and includes training and practice for an individual or a team sport, but does not include sport for children or youth (U22), varsity sport or high-performance athlete sport.
    1. A person may participate in group sport, if the following conditions are met:
      1. If the group sport is indoors, only TWO persons participate;
      2. 2 athletes OR 1 athlete and 1 coach.
    2. Only adult exemption is for Youth Programs, CSI-P High Performance or Varsity/Collegiate programs.
      1. If the group sport is outdoors, only TEN persons participate;
      2. 10 athletes OR 9 athletes and 1 coach OR any combination not exceeding 10 people inclusive.
    3. Only adult (22yr+) exemptions are for CSI-P High Performance or Varsity/Collegiate programs.
    4. The participants maintain a distance of three metres from one another while engaged in the group sport, unless the participants reside in the same private residence;
    5. There are no spectators, unless the presence of a spectator is necessary in order to provide care to a participant.
    6. An athlete or coach, must only be in one age group (U22 OR 22+) and must not be moving between age groups.
  2. ONLY travel to your home club is permitted.
  3. Adults may train individually or under the supervision of a personal coach.
    1. An individual athlete may meet their personal coach for a training session if the following conditions are met:
      1. For the safety of both athletes & coaches, coaches are required to ensure that an open and observable environment is used for all interactions between adults and participants. (i.e. Community Track & Field Facility)
      2. A coach may not hold a training session for a group of individual athletes training on their own.
  4. Physical Distancing
    1. Athletes & coaches are asked to maintain a physical distance of three metres from one another and do not engage in handshaking, high fives, or similar behaviour.
  5. During the period covered by this order the only competitions that may be held are “In-Club Performance Trials”, see competition above.

Sport for Children or Youth (i.e. sport for those under 22 years of age)
1. A person may participate in sport for children or youth, if the following conditions are met:
  1. Participants maintain a physical distance of three metres (3m) from one another and do not engage in handshaking, high fives, hugging or similar behaviour;
  2. The focus is on activities that have a low risk of COVID-19 virus transmission;
  3. No person is present as a spectator, unless the presence of the person is necessary in order to provide care to a child or youth who is a participant.
  4. A U22 athlete (Youth) can decide to train in a 22 plus age group (Adult) but the Adult Group size must adhere to the adult regulations above.
  5. The individual in the Youth (U22) and Adult Groups (22 plus) must be continue to be the same individuals. Moving individuals into and out of the Youth or Adult Groups is not allowed.
  6. Current guidelines limit group gatherings to a maximum of 50 (including coaches) and continued use of physical distancing and hygiene measures.
2. ONLY travel to your home club is permitted.
3. During the period covered by this order the only competitions that may be held are “In-Club Performance Trials”, see competition above.

Varsity Sport
1. A person may participate in varsity sport, if the following conditions are met:
2. The participants are members of a varsity sport team;
  1. Individuals of any age may participate in varsity sport if they are a member of a varsity sport team and they only train or practice with the post-secondary institution with which they are enrolled.
  2. Participants maintain a physical distance of three metres from one another when engaged in sport and do not engage in handshaking, high fives, hugging or similar behaviour;
  3. The focus is on activities that have a low risk of COVID-19 virus transmission;
  4. No person is present as a spectator, unless the presence of the person is necessary in order to provide care to a participant;
  5. A participant only trains or practices with
    1. The post-secondary institution with which the participant is enrolled, or
    2. With respect to which the participant is a confirmed recruit, as permitted by and in accordance with the requirements of the body which governs the varsity sport.
3. Current guidelines limit group gatherings to a maximum of 50 (inclusive of all persons on-site) and continued use of physical distancing (3m) and hygiene measures.
4. During the period covered by this order the only competitions that may be held are “In-Club Performance Trials”, see competition above.

High Performance Sport
1. High performance athletes, professional athletes and professional performers are not included in the age restrictions and travel portions of the order, but have specific travel restrictions below from OTP/CSI. To qualify as a high performance athlete, you must be:
  1. Identified by the Canadian Sports Institute Pacific as a high-performance athlete affiliated with an accredited provincial or national sports organization.
2. Continuing to follow the safety guidelines of the local and your provincial sports organization.
3. Current guidelines limit group gatherings to a maximum of 50 (all persons on-site) and continued use of physical distancing (3m), mask and hygiene measures.
4. Competitions
  1. During the period covered by this order the only competitions that may be held are “In-Club Performance Trials”, see competition above.
5. There shall be no “special” exceptions made.
6. In order to become an eligible High Performance Athlete and participate in CSIP/HP Trials:
  1. BC Athletes must be on the Targeted Athlete List.
    1. BC athletes are eligible to be be added to the high peformance list if they meet the BC Athletics High Performance Criteria, and submit an application.
  2. High Performance athletes who hold membership in other provices are eligible to compete in trials being held in British Columbia if;
    - They have been in British Columbia prior to the release of the Provincial Health Order for Gatherings and Events.
    - Are identified on the Athletics Canada CAPP or Olympic Long List.
    - Follow the High Performance Travel Restrictions below from CSI / OTP.
7. High Performance Travel Restrictions
CSI Pacific is asking National Sport Organizations NOT TO TRAVEL into British Columbia during this restriction period for sport training. CSI Pacific is asking National Sport Organizations NOT TO TRAVEL into British Columbia during this restriction period for sport training.
Those National Sport Organizations with established training groups in B.C. with CSI Pacific identified athletes who have athletes and staff already training in British Columbia can continue to follow the provincial health order exemption. Accredited BC Provincial Sport Organizations with CSI Pacific identified athletes have exemptions to continue sport in the province, but must be aware of guidelines below:
1. Athletes and staff who may be returning to their training group from outside of BC or travelling into BC must continue to follow OTP SMAC guidelines which state that:
  1. Inter-Provincial Travel: Sport team members (athletes and staff), on return to a BC training environment from inter-provincial travel, require a 14-day self-isolation period prior to return to facilities and training groups. This can be shorted to a 5-7 day self-isolation period upon return, with a negative COVID-19 test performed on the fifth day (or later) after their return.
    
    Approved High Performance Athletes entering British Columbia, must follow the same guidelines, requiring a 14-day self-isolation period prior to return to facilities and training groups. This can be shorted to a 5-7 day self-isolation period upon return, with a negative COVID-19 test performed on the fifth day (or later) after their return.
    
    Sport team members traveling within BC only (i.e. not leaving the province) do not need to self-isolate after their travel.
  2. International Travel: Sport team members (athletes and staff), on return to a BC training environment from international travel must adhere to the current federal government mandated 14-day quarantine period. This cannot be shortened for any reason, unless an exemption is granted directly to the sport organization by the Government of Canada.
No athlete or staff will be able to use CSI Pacific / AC Hub facilities unless the above guidelines are adhered to. No athlete will be allowed to compete in approved High Performance meets unless they appear on the BC Athletics Targeted Athlete List, another Provincial Branch High Performance List (approved by AC), or the Athletics Canada CAPP list (see above).
CSI Pacific is able to facilitate asymptomatic testing to assist in returning to training. Please view our COVID webpage at http://www.csipacific.ca/covid-19 for more information

This PHO Order is in place until further order or revision by the PHO Office, at which time government officials will determine if extensions or changes are required based on COVID-19 transmission data. For now, we ask that you share this information through your membership as soon as possible, however, recognize the challenge this may pose during the spring season.

More information on BC Athletics "Return to Sport" policies and guidelines can be found online here.