Last Update – 19Th January 2021 CONTENTS
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Last Update – 19th January 2021 CONTENTS 1.0 Key Terms 2.0 Introduction 3.0 Background 4.0 Governing Our Return 5.0 Covid-19 Secure Procedures – BBL 6.0 Covid-19 Secure Procedures – Basketball Parties 7.0 Covid-19 Secure Procedures - Venues 8.0 Positive Tests 9.0 Lockdowns/Regional or National Restrictions 10.0 Covid-19 Officer Responsibilities 11.0 Other Information COVID-19 SECURE PLAY 2 1.0 KEY TERMS FIBA - The International Basketball Federation, the world governing body for basketball. BBL - The British Basketball League which operates the men’s professional league in the United Kingdom. WBBL - The Women’s British Basketball League which operates the women’s professional league in the United Kingdom. Basketball Parties - All individuals that are involved in the operations of the sport including, Players, Coaches, Match Officials, and Club Staff Home Nation Governing Bodies (HNGB) - Basketball England, Basketball Scotland, and Basketball Wales Covid-19 Officer - An individual with designated responsibilities to ensure a Club complies with this guidance. Venue Specific Plan - A plan that must be prepared for each Venue that a Club/the BBL/WBBL stages a game from. Venue Operators - The owner/operators of the Venue that each game is staged from. Risk Assessment - A document that must be prepared and submitted to the BBL/WBBL showing how each Club has mitigated risks in relation to the transmission of Covid-19. Red Zone - A zone which must be specified in the Venue Specific Plan to incorporate the Locker Room, Playing Court, and access from one to the other. Yellow Zone - A zone which must be specified in the Venue Specific Plan to exclude the Red Zone, and to include access for Basketball Parties. Green Zone - A zone which must be specified in the Venue Specific Plan to exclude the Red and Yellow Zones, and to include access for Spectators when permitted. Must - Where this guidance specifies ‘Must’ all Basketball Parties must comply with the requirement. Should - Where this guidance specifies ‘Should’ all Basketball Parties must comply with the requirement where possible. 5 2.0 INTRODUCTION Following on from the early curtailment of the 2019-20 BBL/WBBL season due to Covid-19 implications, both leagues have returned to active competition. Both organisations are committed to operating in the safest way possible and in full compliance with guidance provided by UK Governments, FIBA (World Governing Body for Basketball) and other relevant bodies. This document aims to provide information to the various stakeholders on the return to playing games in a compliant and safe manner. 3.0 BACKGROUND 3.1 BBL/WBBL Both leagues are fully owned by their member clubs. The BBL/WBBL operate via a licence from the national governing body for the sport, the BBF (British Basketball Federation). The BBF’s members are the Home Nation Governing Bodies, being Basketball England, Basketball Scotland & Basketball Wales. These bodies have responsibility for all other aspects of basketball in their respective countries. 3.2 Clubs All clubs are owned and operated independently of the League in which they participate. The BBL consists of 11 clubs, based in England & Scotland: Bristol Flyers Cheshire Phoenix Glasgow Rocks Leicester Riders London Lions Manchester Giants Newcastle Eagles Plymouth Raiders B. Braun Sheffield Sharks Surrey Scorchers Worcester Wolves The WBBL consists of 11 clubs, based in England, Scotland & Wales BA London Lions Caledonia Pride Cardiff Met Archers Durham Palatinates Essex Rebels Leicester Riders Manchester Met Mystics Newcastle Eagles Nottingham Wildcats Oaklands Wolves Sevenoaks Suns 4 3.3 Covid-19 Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more serious diseases such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). COVID-19 is the name for the disease caused by a new strain of coronavirus that has not been seen in humans until now, which was first identified in 2019. The name is simply short for coronavirus disease 2019 and was announced by the World Health Organization announced on the 11 February 2020. Governments and health authorities around the world instigated social distancing requirements, quarantine measures and limited travel to and from other countries, to slow the spread of the disease and to enable health care systems to cope with the potential increased demands associated with managing the disease. The BBL/WBBL community is fully committed to support these efforts Most people who are infected have mild symptoms and some do not have any symptoms at all. While the majority of those who become symptomatic can be managed at home, a minority who contract the virus become unwell and may require hospitalisation. A small number require intensive care, some of whom require breathing support through ventilation. These patients are more likely to have underlying conditions such as cardiovascular disease, raised blood pressure chronic lung disease, or diabetes. Generally, coronavirus can cause more severe symptoms in people with weakened immune systems, older people and those with long term conditions like diabetes, cancer and chronic lung disease. However, anyone can spread the disease. 3.4 Variants Coronaviruses regularly mutate and new strains are regularly identified. Any that are considered to have potentially concerning properties are designated to be a Variant Under Investigation and, following risk assessment, may be designated a Variant of Concern (VoC). On 18 December 2020, a particular variant was designated as a VoC as, although there is no evidence that this particular variant leads to more severe illness, it is more transmissible than the originally circulating variant. In response to this, various workplaces and activities were placed into a National Lockdown, with Elite Sport being permitted to continue. The stringent measures put into place in response to the original strain were deemed by the UK Government to be sufficient to mitigate against the risks caused by this new variant. 5 However, the BBL/WBBL has reacted to this new variant by 1. Reinforcing adherence to existing measures 2. Boosting the existing measures through increased usage of masks, and the introduction of asymptomatic testing protocols. 3.5 Vaccines The first coronavirus vaccines are becoming available now and vaccinations for the most at-risk groups have begun. Vaccination helps build immunity to the virus, so the infection is stopped more easily. This can reduce the risk of becoming infected with coronavirus or make symptoms milder. For further information on Covid-19 visit www.gov.uk/coronavirus 4.0 GOVERNING OUR RETURN There are various bodies helping to govern our return to play and these bodies have differing levels of responsibilities. FIBA governs the sport of basketball worldwide and as such has produced basketball specific guidance for a safe return to play. This guidance should be considered in conjunction with local legislation. The UK government has produced UK specific guidance for sporting organisations to return to play. At all times UK Government legislation applies, and in the event of a conflict with other sources of guidance, UK Government legislation and guidance will take precedence. Due to the evolving nature of the virus, the guidance is constantly changing and the BBL/WBBL is committed to ensuring that it maintains an up to date position. 6 4.1 UK Government UK Government guidance dictates how BBL/WBBL and every other stakeholder involved in the delivery of our sport operates. All Stakeholders are required to follow this advice strictly to ensure we create as safe an environment as possible for all involved. Further information can be found on UK Government Guidance at: England https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-phased- return-of-sport-and-recreation Scotland https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-what-you-can-and-cannot-do/ pages/sport-culture-and-leisure/ Wales https://gov.wales/sport-recreation-and-leisure-guidance-phased-return-html 4.2 FIBA FIBA has produced guidance primarily for use by National Basketball Federations and Basketball Leagues who are looking for guidance in the restart of basketball in their jurisdiction, particularly if there is a lack of Government oversight on the management of the COVID-19 virus in sport. The BBF and the Home Nation Governing Bodies have incorporated FIBA’s guidance into their own guidance where appropriate. http://www.fiba.basketball/documents/restart-guidelines-for-national-federations-en 4.3 Basketball National Governing Bodies With many of our clubs also operating teams outside of the BBL/WBBL Competition and undertaking other basketball activities, any and all basketball activity will also be guided by their respective home nation governing body guidance. England https://www.basketballengland.co.uk/news/basketball-england-launch-return-to-play- guidance/ Scotland http://basketballscotland.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/GC-Indoors-28.8.2020.pdf Wales https://basketball.wales/basketball-wales/basketball-wales-covid-19-hub/basketball-wales-clubs/ 5.0 OUR RETURN 5.1 BBL/WBBL A framework allowing Elite Sport to continue to play has been introduced across England, Scotland, and Wales. The Elite Sport framework has been fully adopted by the BBL/WBBL and compliance with all aspects of this framework is mandatory for Clubs to be eligible to play. 7 Before commencing play, each Club has been asked to submit and confirm their compliance with the relevant Framework