Welsh Fencing Update For Fencing in Wales

An update for members in Wales as the status is different from that across the rest of the UK. 

Members and clubs are reminded that you cannot apply the current status in England to fencing in Wales.

There is currently no fencing sparring and no traditional fencing lessons in Wales. Risk assessments must be in place and BF membership is required. Please forward your completed risk assessment to the Welsh Fencing Board for review. BF have provided a sample outdoor coaching risk assessment here which can be used as a starting point.

Please note that you risk voiding your insurance cover if you contravene any of these requirements.

Exercise in Groups

From Monday, 13th July people will be able to exercise in groups, with up to 30 people being allowed to play sport outside at once, so sports clubs can meet again but only if they are organised and supervised.  We recommend a maximum of 6-8 people, depending on the space available.

Sporting Facilities Open

From Monday 10th August, sporting facilities are once again able to open.  However, please note that the full distancing requirements still apply.

Full 2m distancing is still in place. While the technical maximum is 30 people, we would recommend you reduce this in line with your available space, and number of coaches.  For fencing, 6-8 is probably a reasonable number.

Under 11s

At last week’s Welsh Government update, it was announced that Under 11s now no longer have to adhere to social distancing restrictions. This week, we have sought clarity on what this unexpected announcement means for participants in the sporting environment.

Following consultation with Welsh Government and the wider sports sector, it has become clear that this change in guidance relates more to family and educational settings. Fencing remains a high-risk sport in terms of its potential for the transmission of COVID-19.

Therefore, we strongly recommend that Under 11s continue to observe social distancing whilst in a fencing setting.

Useful links and websites

Welsh Fencing have a dedicated page here.

Please check the Sport Wales website here to find out more on Funding opportunities, like the Be Active Wales Fund, and also their latest news including.

Also check out the Welsh Sports Association website for information on their latest training offers including COVID-19 Awareness Training here.

Don’t forget as a benefit of membership to BF and Welsh Fencing, affiliated clubs in Wales can now access additional support through a dedicated online portal provided by the Welsh Sports Association. To access these benefits and more, club secretaries will need to request login details by completing the form here.

As always, we will continue to update BF’s COVID-19 advice here, with dedicated pages for clubs and coaches.

Don’t forget you can also subscribe to BF’s weekly summary email – The Fencing Digest – featuring all the previous week’s latest news and announcements. Sign up here.