Covid community sports caps: Little Athletics clubs call for 4 sqm rule to boost numbers

Pleas from our future sporting heroes — unable to train and compete in Little Athletics competitions across the state — have been answered with a NSW Government backflip.

DAILY TELEGRAPH – Pictured in Rouse Hill today are Little Athletic kids (L-R) Flynn Cowper 12, Zane Cowper 9, Ella Caines 10, Oliver White 8, Evelyn White 10, and Lily Caines 12, who aren't able to return to the sporting field until December. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Pleas from frustrated community sporting clubs across the state have been answered, after the NSW Government increased limits for caps at events.

The backflip from the NSW Government, which will see maximum number of people allowed at community sports increase from 200 to 1000, comes after little athletics associations pleaded with the NSW Government to lift the restrictive Covid caps placed on their events.

On Monday, restrictions around community sport across the state were eased by the government, allowing the maximum number of people to be capped at 200 alongside an ‘Outdoor events’ Covid-19 Safety Plan.

However, amendments were made to the public health order to increase the limits after an outcry by sporting associations on Tuesday afternoon to permit outdoor community sport for up to 1000 people, with COVID safe rules in place.

Pictured in Rouse Hill are Little Athletic kids (L-R) Flynn Cowper 12, Lily Caines 12, Ella Caines 10 and Zane Cowper 9, who aren't able to return to the sporting field until December. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Popular Little Athletics teams, which can see as many as 700 participants and more than 1000 parents and officials, questioned the limit early on Tuesday as the government “allow 10,000 punters into Randwick Racecourse for The Everest”.

Rouse Hill Rams Little Athletics president Bob Gribbin urged the NSW Government to allow community sporting associations to follow the four square metre rule enforced for other industries across the state.

“I did rough calculations for our facilities at the Hills Centenary Park, and we would safely be able to accommodate more than 11,000 people with the four square metre rules,” he said.

Pictured in Rouse Hill is President of Rouse Hill Rams Little Athletics Bob Gribbin, who aren't able to return to the sporting field until December. Picture: Tim Hunter.

“The park is made up of four football fields, so there is more than enough space to house our 400 athletes, family and officials.”

Mr Gribbin said there was no close-contact activities throughout events and “very little mixing of athletes”.

“We operated through Covid in 2020 successfully, no one got sick and things ran smoothly,” he said. “We avoided a complete muster of all athletes, which meant there were no mass gathering of our 400 athletes, parents and officials.”

President of Rouse Hill Rams Little Athletics Bob Gribbin with kids (L-R) Zane Cowper 9, Flynn Cowper 12, Ella Caines 10, Oliver White 8, Evelyn White 10, and Lily Caines 12. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Little Athletics NSW board member Simon Nicola said the association was left with very little warning regarding the resumption of community sport.

“We heard about the return of community sport on the news and our members and 180 clubs across the state were scrambling for answers that we couldn’t give them,” Mr Nicola said.

“But, the difference between athletics and other sports is the sheer numbers.
“Some of our larger centres could have 700 athletes and 1000 parents and officials.”

Mr Nicola said several councils across the state also refused to allow Little Athletics from accessing equipment or facilities due to confusion around public health orders.

The board member said there were questions that needed to be answered before December 1, if the NSW Government doesn’t assess current caps.

“We need to know if there is still going to be restrictions on capacity and vaccination requirements,” he said.

Sports Minister Natalie Ward said she welcomed the amendments to the Public Health Orders.

“This is a great result for our players, volunteers, parents and sporting clubs,” she said.

“It means everyone will be able to get out on the weekend and enjoy getting back to what they love.”