No Adult Play – Junior Only
- Updated: October 23, 2020
The Government’s guidance on Level 5 protocols, as they relate to Tennis, can be summarised as follows;
No Tennis activities should take place during the Level 5 restriction with the following exceptions:
- Non-contact training / coaching can continue for school aged children under the supervision of designated coaches. It must occur outdoors in pods of no more than 6 players per court. A maximum of 4 players can operate on the court at any one time while remaining in their own sections of the court, with up to 2 other players rotating in and out as required. All activities are subject to strict social distancing and those players not on court must always maintain a clear 2m distance from others.
- High Performance / Professional Players are permitted to continue to train both indoors and outdoors.
High Performance is defined as covering those who are:
- Professional sports people and those who participate within professional competition
- A member of a high-performance team funded by Tennis Ireland e.g. Davis and Fed Cup, Team Ireland programme recipients
- Those who compete at major international events including European and World Champions, Olympic and Paralympic Games, Grand Slam, ATP, WTA, ITF Men / Women’s World Tour
Facilities / Clubs
As they are not recognised as essential services, the decision of Government is that all gyms, leisure centres, swimming pools and other sports facilities including Tennis Clubs and courts must close during the Level 5 restrictions. This includes both indoor and outdoor sports facilities.
It is permitted to open sports facilities (including Tennis Clubs) for training by High Performance Players.
It will also be permitted to open outdoor courts for structured training sessions by school aged children, i.e. those aged 18 years and younger, as per the recommended pod system. This must be conducted under the supervision of designated coaches and in compliance with approved COVID-19 protocols and all relevant public health guidance.
During these training sessions it will only be permitted for participants and relevant coaching and support personnel to be present.
Tennis Ireland understands the disappointment and difficulties that the government instructions will pose for players, coaches, club volunteers and staff but the challenge caused by COVID-19 impacts across all sectors of society and sport and we need a nationwide effort to fight it.
We are asking that clubs implement the above measures in order to help safeguard staff and members. This will allow our juniors to continue to train safely and will protect our communities while the threat of COVID-19 exists.
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