Covid-19 Route map - Phase Three

Partial lifting of training restrictions

This guidance is for all Walking Football Scotland member groups and participants in accordance with the Scottish Government ‘Phase Three’ guidelines published on 9 July 2020 and can be implemented from Monday July 13.

For the avoidance of doubt there has been no change to the suspension of matches, including friendly matches

Walking football participants can resume physically distanced training sessions.

The participants in each session must be from NO MORE than five different households with a maximum of 15 people. (Note: A coach is included in the 15 people.) There can be no player-to-player contact and all involved must remain physically distant from each other before, during and after each session.

Clubs are required to keep attendance records for each session to assist with tracing protocols.

It is expected that the number of teams who can meet the criteria allowing 15 participants will be limited. For teams with no players from the same household, they will require to train in groups of five adults - for example four players plus one coach or five players.

All affiliated clubs and groups should ensure they have read, understood, and implemented all the appropriate protocols before making a return to training.

This should include the appointment of a COVID-19 co-ordinator, who should ensure that all relevant club personnel are aware of the updated First Aid protocols.

To reiterate, the suspension on competitions, friendly matches, festivals and events will remain in place until further guidance permits the next steps to be taken.

It should also be noted that, at this time, access to facilities may be challenging for clubs and we ask for your continued patience as local authorities and leisure trusts put in place plans to fully reopen outdoor pitches and facilities.

We urge all clubs to utilise the resources and guidelines now available on the Scottish FA. Return to Football Hub. This will allow clubs to plan in conjunction with committees, coaches and participants to make sure everyone is aware of their role in ensuring the return to training is safe and continues to promote public health guidelines.

Walking Football Scotland appreciates, everyone has shown tremendous patience in following the public health guidelines that have been in place throughout the football shutdown. As we start to see the removal on restrictions, we ask that all affiliated clubs and groups continue to support and follow these new guidelines as we look forward to seeing the return to football’s arrival in the future.

Walking Football Scotland would like to thank the Scottish FA for their assistance and use of their guideline material.

Have a read at the return to training Guidelines link: https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/media/6784/phase-three-training-guidelines-for-adult-football.pdf

Scottish Government Covid-19 link: https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/