Please note that information has changed since this article was posted. We recommend you visit www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au for all the most up-to-date information.
The Victorian Government last weekend announced Victoria’s new roadmap to deliver the National Plan.
The roadmap is based on expert modelling from the Burnet Institute. It is set against COVID-19 thresholds, including hospitalisation rates and the vaccination targets already set out in the National Plan to transition Australia’s National COVID-19 Response.
Athletics Victoria events fall under the COVID-19 Public Events Framework. We are awaiting further information from Vicsport and Sport and Recreation Victoria on our sector’s Restricted Activity Directions for Sport (RADS). Once received, we will update you on what the 2021/22 Summer Season will look like.
Please note the differences in restrictions between Regional Victoria and Metropolitan Melbourne, up until the indicative date of 5 November, pending health and vaccine targets being met, whereby both jurisdictions come together under the same rules.
Melbourne, City of Ballarat, City of Greater Geelong, Surf Coast Shire and Mitchell Shire are still in lockdown. Current sport and exercise restrictions can be viewed here.
There are still restrictions in place in regional Victoria. Current sport and exercise restrictions in regional Victoria (except City of Ballarat, City of Greater Geelong, Surf Coast Shire and Mitchell Shire) can be viewed here.
The Roadmap.
Please see the three (3) roadmaps outlined below.
Coaching.
This guidance is being updated in line with Directions changes and will be available here soon.
Sport and exercise coaching is permitted as a form of personal training. Coaches are subject to the same restrictions as personal trainers.
Outdoor physical recreational facilities that are open for public use can be used by personal trainers and coaches for training purposes. Trainers and clients must adhere to the cleaning requirements in relation to shared equipment. Any indoor spaces of an outdoor facility, including toilets, are closed to clients, trainers and coaches participating in the training session. If the personal training session is using an outdoor facility, no employees of the facility may be present other than the trainer or coach.
Coaching must:
- be for exercise purposes
- adhere to class size caps relevant to personal trainers (maximum of two people, in addition to the personal trainer or coach, or maximum of 4 people from one household if everyone attending who is 18 years or older and the trainer has received both of their COVID-19 vaccinations)
- No spectators are allowed to observe training, other than parents of children participating.
- adhere to face mask wearing and physical distancing restrictions
- adhere to cleaning requirements in relation to shared equipment.
Please see the information via the button below for further details. If you have questions, please contact Business Victoria on 13 22 15.
Current Sport and
Exercise Restrictions
Current restrictions in metropolitan Melbourne, City of Ballarat, City of Greater Geelong, Surf Coast Shire and Mitchell Shire. Click here.
Changes have been introduced to slow the spread of COVID-19 by reducing the number of people leaving their homes and moving around Victoria.
You cannot leave your home other than for one of the six following reasons:
- shopping for necessary goods and services
- caregiving or compassionate reasons, including medical care or to get a COVID-19 test
- authorised work (with a permit) or permitted education
- exercise (once a day for up to 4 hours, and that 4 hours includes any time spent outdoors socialising in limited groups)
- outdoor social interaction in limited groups (once a day for up to 4 hours, and that 4 hours includes any time spent on exercise)
- to get a COVID-19 vaccination (provided the distance travelled, and the time taken is no more than is absolutely necessary)
A stay-at-home curfew is in place for metropolitan Melbourne. The curfew does not apply for regional Victoria including City of Ballarat, City of Greater Geelong, Surf Coast Shire and Mitchell Shire. If you live in metropolitan Melbourne between 9:00pm and 5:00am, you cannot leave your home (or the home of your intimate partner or bubble buddy) other than for limited reasons, including:
- authorised work
- health and medical purposes
- care and support of a child or someone with special needs
- in an emergency or to escape harm
If you travel to metropolitan Melbourne from regional Victoria for a permitted reason, you will be required to adhere to the curfew whilst you are in metropolitan Melbourne.
Outdoor personal training is allowed for up-to two people excluding the personal trainer.
Up-to four people from the same household who have also received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, can participate in an outdoor training session with a personal trainer.
Restrictions in regional Victoria (except City of Ballarat, City of Greater Geelong, Surf Coast Shire and Mitchell Shire). Click here.
- Outdoor playgrounds, communal gym equipment and skateparks are open.
- Outdoor personal training is permitted for groups of up to 10 people plus a trainer.
- Outdoor community recreation facilities can open for up to 20 people per facility. Large outdoor facilities, such as golf courses, are not subject to the 20 person cap as long as each group of no more than 10 can stay at least 50m apart.
- Outdoor pools can open for up to 50 people at a time.
- Indoor physical recreation and sport facilities can open for up to 10 people indoors and 20 people outdoors per facility, with a density limit of one person per four square meters, whichever is less.
- Indoor pools can open for up to 20 people at a time. Changing rooms will remain closed.
- Play centres, indoor skateparks and indoor trampolining centres are open.
- Community sport teams are allowed to train outdoors only, with only the minimum possible number of participants attending. Spectators are prohibited, except for one supervising parent/carer per child (or sibling group) in the case of children’s sport.
- Participants from metropolitan Melbourne (and City of Ballarat, City of Greater Geelong, Surf Coast Shire and Mitchell Shire) may not attend outdoor sport and recreational facilitates. Facilities must be able to confirm that a person attending is not a resident of metropolitan Melbourne (or City of Ballarat, City of Greater Geelong, Surf Coast Shire and Mitchell Shire).
- Infants less than 12 months are not counted in the capacity limits.
- Equipment must be cleaned and disinfected between users.
- You must wear a face mask indoors or outdoors, unless an exception applies. You do not need to wear a mask when doing strenuous exercise.
Indicative dates – Metropolitan Melbourne
Indicative dates in the roadmap include:
26 September: 80 per cent of Victorians expected to have had at least one vaccination dose. This is Phase A of the National Plan.
- Outdoor facilities open for contactless recreation
- All others closed
- Fully vaccinated: Outdoor personal training up to 5 cap
If not fully vaccinated: - Outdoor personal training up to two people plus the trainer
- Five people allowed to broadcast workout instructions at a gym
26 October: 70 per cent of Victorians expected to have had both vaccination doses. This is Phase B of the National Plan, and lockdown will end in Melbourne.
- Fully vaccinated: Outdoor only, DQ4, 50 cap
- Outdoor community sport open for training only (no competition); minimum number required, spectators public gathering limits apply
- Changing rooms closed
5 November: 80 per cent of Victorians aged 16 and over expected to have had both vaccination doses. This is Phase C of the National Plan, and regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne will come together under the same rules.
Physical recreation & community sport:
- Fully vaccinated: Indoors DQ4 and 150 cap, outdoors DQ2 500 cap
- Community sport permitted indoors and outdoors with minimum number required, spectators public gathering limits apply
Outdoor seated physical recreation and community sport:
- Fully vaccinated: Lesser of 25% or 5000 per venue
- State significant venues to be considered for larger crowds
19 November: once 80 per cent of Victorians aged 12 and over are fully vaccinated, restrictions will align with Phase D of the National Plan.
For all settings, align with National Plan to transition Australia’s National COVID-19 Response.
Indicative dates –
Regional Victoria
Indicative dates in the roadmap include:
26 September: 80 per cent of Victorians expected to have had at least one vaccination dose. This is Phase A of the National Plan.
- Outdoor personal training with up to 10 people/trainer
- Community sport: outside only, training only. Minimum number required for the sport, no spectators
- Community recreation facilities: outdoors only, 20 ppl per facility
- Caps do not apply if 50 metres distance can be maintained between groups outdoors (e.g. golf)
- Indoor physical recreation open (gyms), with 10 persons per facility indoors, 20 per facility outdoors, DQ4
26 October: 70 per cent of Victorians expected to have had both vaccination doses. This is Phase B of the National Plan, and lockdown will end in Melbourne.
- Fully vaccinated: Indoors DQ4 and 30 cap, outdoors DQ2 and 100 cap
- Community sport: outdoor only, training only. Minimum number required for the sport, spectators: public gathering limits apply
- Unknown vaccination: no change from previous
5 November: 80 per cent of Victorians aged 16 and over expected to have had both vaccination doses. This is Phase C of the National Plan, and regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne will come together under the same rules.
Physical recreation & community sport:
- Fully vaccinated: Indoors DQ4 and 150 cap, outdoors DQ2 and 500 cap
- Community sport permitted indoors and outdoors with minimum number required, for spectators public gathering limits apply
Outdoor seated physical recreation and community sport:
- Fully vaccinated: Lesser of 25% or 5000 per venue
- Significant venues to be considered for larger crowds
19 November: once 80 per cent of Victorians aged 12 and over are fully vaccinated, restrictions will align with Phase D of the National Plan.
For all settings, align with National Plan to transition Australia’s National COVID-19 Response.
Community sport and physical recreation.
When Victoria achieves 70 per cent of 16+ fully vaccinated, there will be different restrictions for metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria regarding community sport and physical recreation.
At 80 per cent of 16+ fully vaccinated (Phase C), Victoria will move to the same level of restrictions. At this stage, that is scheduled to be at or around 5 November.
At that time, the restrictions as they apply to community sport and physical recreation will be as follows:
Community sport and physical recreation:
- Open to the fully vaccinated
- Indoors: A density quotient of one person per four square metres applies, to a maximum of 150 people
- Outdoors: A density quotient of one person per two square metres applies, to a maximum of 500 people.
Community Sport:
- Permitted indoors and outdoors with minimum number required
- Public gathering limits apply for spectators
We are very excited to get back into action once restrictions allow, and we are looking forward to seeing the community back throughout the summer.
Athletics Victoria will advise of rescheduled dates for events as soon as possible.
Once again, we thank you for your support, and we’re looking forward to seeing you in the coming weeks.
Regards,
Ross Cunningham
General Manager Sport Delivery and Government
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