Coronavirus: Elite athletes able to resume training in Wales

Tennis can resume in Wales from Monday

Elite athletes will be able to resume training in Wales following the latest Welsh Government review of coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

Only professional athletes in Wales had been permitted to restart activity under Wales' previous guidelines.

From Monday, Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls will be able to resume.

Outdoor sport courts can also re-open for all, providing social distancing is maintained but contact or team sports below elite level is not permitted.

Tennis will be able to resume in Wales having been allowed elsewhere in the United Kingdom since last month.

There is no lifting in restrictions in terms of indoor sports facilities, including swimming pools, although this does not apply to elite level athletes.

Wales had already permitted professional athletes and teams to resume training, providing they saw medical and safety protocols followed.

Last month they gave the green-light for professional sport to take place behind closed doors, with Chepstow racecourse earlier this week holding the first sporting event in Wales since the start of lockdown in March.

Cardiff City and Swansea City restart their Championship campaigns this weekend.

Measures now include elite athletes, described by the Welsh Government as "individuals who are nominated by their governing bodies that, in turn, nominate for Olympic, Paralympic or Commonwealth Games representation by Great Britain or Wales".

Confirming the news at a press conference on Friday, Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford admitted the 'elite' guidelines applied to a limited number of individuals, with 47 athletes falling into the category.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, he said: "You can see it is confined to the elite level and each one of those individuals has an individual plan agreed with the sports council and with their own governing body.

"That will differ from sport to sport as to the context and the setting, but we are confident having discussed it with Sport Wales that all the arrangements are safely in place for those 47 people who compete at that level - Olympic and Paralympic athletes - we can now allow them to get back on with their training and that the necessary arrangements have been thought through and are in place for each of those 47 individuals."

Reaction

"Cricket Wales welcomes today's announcement by First Minister Drakeford in respect of the easing of lockdown restrictions, which positively affects cricketers wishing to undertake socially distanced practice and non-contact activity on outdoor facilities.

We should reiterate, also, that cricket clubs should only open their facilities if and when they feel they are able to operate safely, ensuring that all travel and social distancing regulations and hygiene protocols are observed, and where the facility can be robustly managed and controlled."

Tennis Wales "This is positive news for tennis in Wales, both Tennis Wales and the LTA look forward to continuing to work with all involved in the sport to open it up to more people following safe resumption of tennis activity."

"Bowls Wales welcomes today's announcement from the First Minister that bowls will be included in the daily exercise permissions in Wales from Monday 22 June.

"Clubs and players are likely to be under additional public scrutiny so please ensure that we all keep within the rules.

"We have developed our own set of guidelines to assist clubs and players on our return to the green and to ensure that we adhere to the continuing social distancing restrictions.

"We are looking forward to returning to the green, but understand that some people will choose not to return at this time. We ask that all bowlers continue to respect the wishes of others."