Sport will operate as ‘safe zone’; athletes and coaches must vaccinate or get medical exemption

Lionel Messi, Mohamed Salah, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and LeBron James are all vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus. And if you’d like to be involved in sport for the foreseeable future, you will have to follow suit.

The Office of the Attorney General today published an updated Public Health [2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)] (No. 5) Regulations, 2022, which clarified the conditions under which team sport resumes.

Sport, as initially forecast, will operate as a ‘safe zone’.

‘Sporting events under registered and recognised national governing bodies or sport serving bodies […] may be open to conduct operations as safe zones,’ stated the Public Health Ordinance. ‘The administrator of a sporting facility at which a sporting event is to be held shall […] ensure that all of the athletes, coaches, officials, administrators, spectators and other persons in attendance at a sporting event are vaccinated and are in possession of a valid vaccination card.

‘Only vaccinated persons of such age as the Minister shall approve, on presenting a valid vaccination card or a copy thereof and a form of identification at point of entry, are allowed within the sporting facility at which the sporting event is taking place.’

Children under 12 years of age can enter a safe zone if accompanied by a vaccinated parent. There is also an exemption for ‘an athlete, coach, official, administrator, spectator or other person who is in possession of a medical exemption certificate or a medical deferral certificate, issued by a medical officer’.

However, persons with medical exemptions or deferral certificates must also show a negative PCR test before being allowed entry.

The Covid-19 guidelines will not alter current plans by sport administrators. However, it will be a blow to unvaccinated players and officials still hoping to wait until the pandemic blows over or restrictions are lessened enough for them to operate without taking the jab.

More from Wired868

Demming: Use Jamaica’s Champs example to fire up local sporting passions

Two of our Ministers recently attended Jamaica’s Champs Track and Field Event. This was a great idea to expand the education Read more

Gov’t commits TT$9m to TTPFL; fixtures, title sponsor and cash prizes still unknown

The Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (GoRTT) will commit a sum of TT$9m over a three-year span Read more

Dear Editor: T&T Gov’t disrespected Beijing 4x100m team by not properly acknowledging their gold medals

“[…] Trinidad and Tobago is now in possession of three gold medals at the highest level of the sport, which is Read more

Cudjoe bemoans late TTFA request as T&T U-15 Girls and U-14 Boys pray for Govt bailout

Minister of Sport Shamfa Cudjoe and Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SporTT) chairman Douglas Camacho said it will be Read more

Cudjoe promises ‘incentive’ for ‘phenomenal’ Jereem; 400m champ dedicates title to Lendore

Minister of Sport and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe described Trinidad and Tobago quarter-miler Jereem Richards as ‘phenomenal’, after the 28-year-old Read more

Is sport now open to unvaccinated players and officials? Officials still in the dark

Can unvaccinated players, coaches and officials take part in team sport? Or is sport bound to remain within the boundaries Read more