The Province of Manitoba has announced that effective Wednesday April 28, 2021 that the current public health orders that are in place have been extended as is with no significant changes to sports until at least Wednesday, May 26, 2021.
Under the extended Manitoba Public Health orders permits indoor "group basketball training including 5 on 5 scrimmaging to a maximum of 10 players and 3 coaches while masked", which lines up with the Canada Basketball Return to Play Phase 4. Basketball Manitoba will permit the following to indoor basketball training in all health regions of Manitoba. All other forms of basketball including games, tournaments, championships, etc. remains paused under the Red / Critical Health restrictions set by Manitoba Public Health.
The only notable recent changes made tied to outdoor sports changes the permitted gatherings from 25 to 10 people. These changes do not affect participants at organized sporting activities themselves but do limit spectators from gathering outdoors. These changes will still permit plans that the WMBA and Peg City basketball for outdoor 3x3 basketball leagues to proceed with games. More information on this can be found in the memo below from Sport Manitoba.
PANDEMIC IMPACT ON BASKETBALL IN MANITOBA UPDATE
PHASE 4 - Effective Wednesday, April 28, 2021, small group basketball training to a MAXIMUM of 10 PLAYERS AND 3 COACHES all wearing non-medical masks present in a standard sized gymnasium continues to be permitted.
Additional Details...
- Basketball Manitoba stresses that coaches lead a gradual return to basketball over the coming weeks and months understanding that athletes may not have been active for a long period of time with a focus on athlete health and injury prevention being stressed during all training. More information on this topic can be found in the Canada Basketball Return Plan. (pages 5-8)
- Normal team drills involving shared equipment are now permitted including ones involving dribbling, passing, shooting and other offensive and defensive team drills.
- Scrimmages within this group of 10 players are now permitted to include 5 ON 5 FULL COURT (up from 3x3 half court under the previous restrictions).
- All coaches and players are to wear non-medical masks including when active on the court at all times while in the facility.
- All equipment including basketballs and hands are to be properly sanitized before and after all training sessions. Sanitizer Notes:
- A liquid form of hand sanitizer with 70%+ alcohol content in a spray bottle works well cleaning basketballs and other equipment with a clean rag and on hands at the same time.
- The cleaner dries fast and leaves no residue or smell on the basketball or hands and shows no damaging effects to a rubber or synthetic basketball.
- The liquid sanitizer and empty spray bottles can be purchased at home repair and department stores including Canadian Tire, Home Depot, Lowe's, Home Hardware, Walmart and many other locations including many online retailers.
- Social distancing (2m) is to be maintained at all times between players and coaches on the sidelines and follow all restrictions imposed by a facility when using change rooms / washrooms.
- The maximum 10 players and 3 coaches in a training group is a firm number and cannot be exceeded under the current health orders and is set by Manitoba Public Health (official health orders can be seen below).
- Spectators are limited to no more than one person accompanying the athlete at a time and are to be masked and remain socially distanced from others at all times.
- Contact information must be kept by the head coach of all players they are training with and may be requested by the facility prior to attending the training session for contact tracing purposes.
- The full Basketball Manitoba Return to Play Guidelines with the above exceptions remain in place can be found HERE.
- 13(1) Outdoor sporting facilities may open, subject to the requirements of this section.
- 13(2) Persons must not engage in outdoor sporting activities as part of a group of more than 10 persons, unless all persons in the group are participating in an organized practice, game or competition at an outdoor sporting facility.
- 13(3) Organized practices, games and competitions at outdoor sporting facilities may take place, but the operator of a facility must ensure that no multi-team tournaments are permitted at the facility.
- 13(4) Warming shacks, washrooms and other indoor facilities associated with outdoor sporting activities may open if the operator of those facilities
- (a) implements measures to ensure that members of the public are reasonably able to maintain a separation of at least two metres from other members of the public at the indoor facilities;
- (b) limits occupancy to all indoor facilities other than dressing rooms to 25% of the usual capacity; and
- (c) limits the number of persons in dressing rooms to 50% of the usual capacity or to a number that ensures that all persons in the dressing room are able to maintain a separation of at least two metres from other persons, whichever is lesser
- 14(1) Indoor sporting facilities, including swimming pools, may open if the operator of the facility complies with all requirements of this Order.
- 14(2) Individual play, group and individual instruction and team practices may take place at an indoor sporting facility but no organized team games or tournaments may be held at the facility, except as authorized under Order 16 (Professional Sports).
- 14(3) The operator of an indoor sporting facility must
- (a) ensure that any group of persons participating in a sporting activity at the facility, excluding coaches or instructors, does not exceed 10 persons;
- (b) take reasonable measures to ensure that there is no interaction between different groups of participants who are engaging in a sporting activity at the facility at the same time; and
- (c) limit the number of persons in dressing rooms to 50% of the usual capacity or to a number that ensures that all persons in the dressing room are able to maintain a separation of at least two metres from other persons, whichever is lesser.
- 14(4) The operator of an indoor sporting facility must
- (a) implement measures to ensure that members of the public at the facility are reasonably able to maintain a separation of at least two metres from other members of the public at the facility, excluding participants engaged in a sporting activity; and
- (b) limit occupancy to all portions of the facility other than dressing rooms and the areas where sporting activities are conducted to 25% of the usual capacity.
Sport Manitoba wants to clarify the new public health orders relating to gatherings and spectators for indoor and outdoor sports.
INDOOR SPORTS
There have been no changes.
As noted in Order 14, the indoor capacity restrictions in the areas where sporting activities are taking place, is 25% of the usual capacity, and not the limit of five (5) people as indicated in Order 2, as in this case Order 14 (4) supersedes Order 2 (1)(a)."
ORDER 14 - Sporting Activities
- 14(4) The operator of an indoor sporting facility must:
- implement measures to ensure that members of the public at the facility are reasonably able to maintain a separation of at least two metres from other members of the public at the facility, excluding participants engaged in a sporting activity; and
- limit occupancy to all portions of the facility other than dressing rooms and the areas where sporting activities are conducted to 25% of the usual capacity.
OUTDOOR SPORTS
For outdoor sports, there is a change relating to Order 2; no more than 10 persons at an outdoor place. This applies to spectators at outdoor sports. Sport Manitoba recommends that you work with your facility owners and operators to ensure policies are in place and communicated to teams to make sure all comply with this new health order.
ORDER 2 - Gatherings
2(1) Except as otherwise permitted by these Orders, all persons are prohibited from assembling in a gathering
(a) of more than five persons at an indoor public place or the common areas of a multi-unit residence; or
(b) of more than 10 persons at an outdoor place
For your reference, the updated orders can be found here, and are in effect today, through May 26, 2021.
SPORT MANITOBA STATEMENT ON SPECTATORS
To get back to sport safely, Sport Manitoba recommends all sports strongly consider not allowing spectators at sport practices, games or competitions under the current public health orders. This is to address the complexity of managing spectators within the gathering and capacity limits and remove responsibility from the sport, coaches, managers, and officials in making those decisions.
Each sport must continue to follow its return to play plan and safe sport protocols, specifically regarding the Rule of Two, and will work with coaches and parents to ensure the protocols are followed.
We must all work together to take the safest approach for all, and for sport, limiting close contacts and interactions among spectators is an approach we can actively take to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
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The latest updates to the public health orders were released last evening and the specific change we want to reinforce is the gathering sizes outdoors as they relate to spectator limits. The updated orders can be found here, and are in effect today, through May 26, 2021.
ORDER 2 - Gatherings
2(1) Except as otherwise permitted by these Orders, all persons are prohibited from assembling in a gathering
(a) of more than five persons at an indoor public place or the common areas of a multi-unit residence; or
(b) of more than 10 persons at an outdoor place
These new gathering sizes really restrict spectating at sporting activities.
It is our understanding that no more than 10 persons at an outdoor place applies to spectators at outdoor sports. This was previously 25. We recommend that you work with your facility owners and operators to ensure policies are in place and communicated to teams to make sure all are in compliance with this new health order.
This does not affect the unlimited number of participants for outdoor activities, as noted in Order 13 (2), the group must be participating in an organized practice, game, or competition at an outdoor sporting facility.
This also does not affect the groups of 10 participating in a sport activity at an indoor facility, not including coaches and instructors, as seen in Order 14 (3), where a total group size of 10 athletes can train at an indoor facility. Masks continue to be required by all for all indoor activities.
As we move forward, continue to refer to your Return to Play plans and follow the procedures you’ve outlined for the safest return to your sport. Thank you for your continued cooperation as we work to stop the spread of COVID-19.