Government Publishes Roadmap for Easing of COVID Restrictions  (England)

BF provides a summary of the roadmap in relation to restarting sport in England and our current interpretation of what this might mean for fencing. 

(Please note correction made on 24.02 – in blue)

On 22nd February the PM announced the roadmap to ease lockdown restrictions.

This was followed by the publication of the ‘COVID-19 Response – Spring 2021’, setting out the roadmap out of the current lockdown for England.

We expect more information to come out over the next few days and weeks but this is our current interpretation of yesterday’s announcement. If you have any questions please contact us using this form and we will do our best to answer them.

To support our community as they navigate this roadmap, we are scheduling a series of COVID Officer discussion events aligned to the expected dates below. For more details of these and other community discussion events, including how to sign up, please click here.

Step 1: no earlier than 8th March

The published plan states:

• Sports clubs/facilities stay closed to grass roots sport
• Recreation or exercise outdoors with household or one other person. No household mixing indoors.
• Wraparound Childcare

We expect:

• No indoor fencing activity in any setting for adults will be able to take place
• Fencing activity for juniors will only be able to take place as part of the school curriculum or part of registered childcare activities, i.e. during PE lessons, after school club where the primary purpose is childcare.
• 1:1 training/coaching outside in an outdoor public place/outdoor venue (not private gardens) is allowed. Permission to use metal swords outside must be granted by the landowner/landlord/local authority. Expect restrictions on the distance you can travel.
• Fencing competitions will not be able to take place.

Step 1: no earlier than 29th March

The published plan states:

• Rule of 6 or 2 households outdoors
• Outdoor sports and leisure facilities to open
• Organised outdoor sport allowed (children and adults)

We expect:

• 1:1 training/coaching can now take place in private gardens
• Outdoor training/coaching (rule of 6/2 households) can take place

BF will be exploring what fencing activity can come under ‘formally organised outdoor sport’ which will potentially provide additional opportunities for BF registered coaches and BF affiliated clubs to provide fencing opportunities for adults and U18 members alike using suitable outdoor facilities. This in turn might allow outdoor fencing competitions to restart, although it is likely that format and size restrictions will be in place.

Step 2: no earlier than 12th April

The published plan states:

• Indoor Leisure (including gyms) open for use individually or within household groups
• All children’s activities, indoor parent and child groups (up to 15 people)

We expect:

• Indoor fencing activity will be able to resume for U18s. Possibility for mixed parent/child group activities.
• Indoor fencing competitions could resume for U18s.

Step 3: no earlier than 17th May

The published plan states:

• Organised adult indoor sport and exercise classes

We expect

• Indoor fencing can resume for adult groups.
• Sport specific guidance will still be in place to reduce the risk of transmission.

Step 4: no earlier than 21st June

The published plan states:

• No legal limits on social contact

We expect:

• Indoor Fencing competitions can resume.
• Sport specific guidance will still be in place to reduce the risk of transmission.

Please note that GBR ranking tournaments are not likely to start until restrictions are lifted across the UK so that all Home Nations can enter.

Subscribe to our new weekly summary email featuring the previous week’s latest news and announcements. Sign up here.