Football Victoria (FV) would like to provide a brief update regarding current training guidance for clubs, following the relaxing of some restrictions from 22 June and recent ‘hot-spot’ announcements by the Victorian Government.
As previously communicated, key changes were scheduled to take effect from Monday, 22 June to allow for full contact training and competitions for players aged 18 and under, as well as changes to changeroom/shower access and spectator numbers.
Whilst this is still relevant, we are awaiting Sport and Recreation Victoria (SRV) guidelines confirming the detail of these new arrangements for clubs. Once we receive these updated guidelines, we will release an updated set of Return to Training/Play Conditions. We expect this will be in the next 48 hours.
In the meantime, all clubs must operate in accordance with v2.1 of the Return To Training Conditions in our Return to Football portal – not the announced changes from 22 June.
We note the Government guidance in relation to the six (6) ‘hot spot’ municipalities. We are urgently seeking Government advice on any impact this will have on clubs in these affected areas and community sport. We understand this is a recommendation as opposed to a legal direction, therefore club and individual discretion around continuing with training is to be exercised at this stage, noting that there is no Government direction to cease any community sport activities in these affected areas.
In any case, we must still exercise caution with our football activities. We recommend that you advise your communities that only essential individuals should attend training or practice matches, such as a parent or guardian accompanying a participant or those that have a role to play in delivering the football activity.
We will update our community once we have further detail on the areas above.
Please note that our competition start dates, as released last week, remain unchanged.