Expert Group on Return to Sport Guidance for Outdoor Sports and Fitness

Recognising that organised sports and fitness activities are permitted in outdoor settings for groups of up to 15 people from next Monday, the Expert Group on Return to Sport would advise organisers to consider the following guidance. This guidance should not be considered exhaustive, and organisers are advised to consult other official sources, in particular the advice published by the HSE.

• in advance of the activity, participants should be asked to travel to the activity venue alone or with members of the same household. Sharing transport is not advised in this Phase of the Roadmap
• encourage participants not to congregate at the beginning or end of the activity. Ask participants to arrive as close as possible to the activity start time, or to wait in their cars until the activity begins
• participants should be asked to bring their own water bottles, towels and where possible personal equipment, and instructed not to share these with others. Personal equipment should only be shared with people from the same household
• participants should be asked to wash hands on arrival, if possible, or to use hand sanitiser. If it is not possible to provide hand sanitiser at your location, participants should be asked to bring their own hand sanitiser with them
• individual equipment provided to participants should be cleaned and sanitised before and after each activity session. It is recommended that time is scheduled between sessions to enable thorough cleaning and sanitisation to be conducted
• sharing of equipment should be avoided wherever possible, as it is generally not permitted in this Phase of the Roadmap. If absolutely necessary, equipment should be cleaned and sanitised between use
• participants should be spaced appropriately to maintain a minimum 2 metre physical distancing throughout the activity. Depending on the nature of the activity, it may be necessary to leave more space between participants
• participants should be encouraged to adopt good respiratory hygiene, covering their nose and mouth when they cough or sneeze, and using a tissue which is immediately disposed of. Further guidance on hygiene and social distancing is available from www.hse.ie/covid19
• all participants should be advised to stay home if they feel unwell, and to consult their GP. If a participant becomes unwell during the activity, they should be isolated from other participants and return home as soon as possible

The Expert Group emphasises that indoor sporting facilities are not permitted to reopen during this Phase of the Roadmap. All activity should be in outdoor facilities; the use of showers and changing facilities should not be permitted.

The Expert Group also recommends that organisers maintain an electronic record of all participants for all sessions, with contact details. This will help to facilitate contact tracing in the event that a participant becomes ill with COVID-19.