New restrictions on adult American football activity in Scotland from Friday 9 October
Wednesday, October 7, 2020
Message from Pete Ackerley
Following this afternoon’s statement by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland is bringing in additional temporary restrictions to reduce the spread of Covid-19 in the following five health board regions – Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Ayrshire and Arran, Lanarkshire, Lothian, and Forth Valley.
These restrictions include the suspension of all adult contact sports for over 18s. Please note that in this context I can confirm contact sport means all team sports that bring people in proximity to each other and so includes what we describe as non-contact American football activity.
The measures are currently intended to be in force for 16 days, from Friday 9 October at 6pm to Sunday 25 October inclusive – in other words across the next two weeks and three weekends.
Children’s sports for under 18s are currently unaffected, so all American football activity for players aged 17 and under may continue under our current stage 3 guidelines for Scotland.
While this is disappointing news, the welfare of our family, friends, teammates and local communities, as well as protecting the NHS, must remain our priority. I ask all clubs in these impacted health board regions to strictly adhere to these new restrictions, and we will update you when there is any further news.
Stay safe.
Pete
FAQ
- What does this mean for me and my team?
Any American Football activity for adults in the impacted health board regions of Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Ayrshire and Arran, Lanarkshire, Lothian, and Forth Valley should not take place between Friday 9 October at 6pm to Sunday 25 October inclusive.
- My team isn’t in one of the listed health board regions, what does that mean?
American Football activity for adults can still take place as per our current stage 3 guidance for Scotland in other health board regions.
- What about U19 football in the listed health board regions?
Players aged 17 and under (on the day of activity) are permitted to undertake non-contact American Football practice and play activities in line with BAFA stage 3 guidance for Scotland. Players aged 18 and over registered with a BAFA U19 team in Scotland in an impacted health board region will unfortunately not be able to take part in this activity between Friday 9 October at 6pm to Sunday 25 October inclusive.
- Does this apply to university teams in the listed health board areas?
Yes – this is a Scottish government restriction, not a BAFA only restriction and so it applies to university football teams too.
- Are we still progressing to stage 4 of our return to play roadmap in Scotland?
At the moment we continue to remain at stage 3 in Scotland, pending further review and guidance from sportscotland.
If you have any additional questions, not answered here, please contact covid-19@britishamericanfootball.org
