Over the weekend the UK Government announced a lockdown in England from Thursday 5th November to Wednesday 2nd December. The government has advised people to work at home where possible, avoid social contact and non-essential travel.
Earlier in the week, we, along with other NGB’s were briefed by Sport England and UK Sport.
The key messages that we received were;
- All indoor facilities, including wrestling clubs and venues, should close as of Thursday 5th November
- With regards to elite training, we are still able to continue under the current elite training guidelines
The Government voted to sign the formal bill into law yesterday and following some clarifications it is clear that there are no exemptions for any sport or participant groups except for the continuation of the Elite Return to Sport guidance. As such all wrestling clubs in England must close and remain closed until further notice. As always you can follow all our updates on the coronavirus situation on our Coronavirus Updates page.
We are acutely aware of the immense financial pressure many clubs will be under as a direct result of a further period of closure. Please be assured we are fighting your corner. We will continue to lobby Government for further financial support for sports clubs and partners so severely affected by the pandemic, through a Sports Recovery Fund, and we will be continuing our support of the #SaveOurSports campaign. Any evidence of the financial implications should be shared with us in order to help us make the case stronger.
As the virus may be with us for some time – there is no guarantee that all restrictions will be fully relaxed before the new year. We would encourage all clubs to either start or continue delivering at least some online sessions via Zoom or another secure platform if at all possible to keep in touch with your members. Guidance for clubs and coaches is available here. Please remember that British Wrestling membership includes access to fully comprehensive insurance for British Wrestling endorsed activity and virtual activities based around fitness and conditioning.
At British Wrestling we will continue to look for ways to support our members to continue to stay fit and healthy. We urge everyone to keep in touch and to help one another stay positive during this difficult time.
