With MiniRoos football set to commence this month, Football Federation Australia (FFA) has created a set of guidelines to undertake at grassroots level to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
Following these simple steps will ensure a safer MiniRoos experience for all, so please remember to stay calm, safe and keep smiling & enjoying playing football with these guidelines in place.
Effective 16 March 2020, the following guidelines should be adhered to for all football activities, including training and matches:
1. Before participating in football activities
Participants should not present to participate in football if they:
(a) have any flu-like symptoms;
(b) have been in direct contact with a known case of COVID-19 in the past 14 days;
(c) have travelled internationally or been exposed to a person with COVID-19 in the
preceding 14 days; or
(d) are at a high risk from a health perspective, including the elderly and those with
pre-existing medical heath conditions.
2. Attendance at football activities
• Only essential participants should attend football activities, i.e. players,
coaches, match officials, staff and volunteers involved in operations and
parents/guardians of participants;
• Only attend as close as practical to the start of any football activity and leave as
practically possible after.
• Children to be accompanied by not more than one parent or guardian, if possible.
3. Practice social distancing at football activities
• Amend pre and post-match protocols so players and officials do not touch each
other, e.g. no shaking hands, no walk out with player mascots;
• When spectating or attending at a football match/training, ensure you keep a
distance of 1.5 metres between yourself and others;
• Restrict access to changeroom areas to only players, officials and essential staff;
• If watching football and confined to a small area nearby other people, seek to move
around the facility to avoid close contact with others.
4. Hygiene and Behaviour
• Ensure spaces at each facility, surfaces and objects are regularly cleaned with
disinfectant;
• Provide hand washing guidance
• Promote regular and thorough hand washing by staff and participants;
• Provide sanitising hand rub dispensers in prominent places around the event
(particularly entry or high use areas such as a registration desk, change rooms,
toilets or kiosk)
• Make sure hand rub dispensers are regularly refilled.
Behaviour
• Cover mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you
cough or sneeze;
• Provide bins and put used tissues in the bin straight away;
• Wash hands with soap and water often;
• Use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available;
• Try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell;
• Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean.
Organisation of football activities
• Promote preventive actions amongst participants – lead by example;
• Plan ways to reduce in-person contact for participants and staff;
• Plan for increased levels of staff/volunteer absences
• Keep volunteers, staff and participants informed of actions being taken;
