The Rowing Ireland Covid-19 Working Group have put together a list of questions and answers to continue to assist clubs in the Republic of Ireland. We are in continuous communication with Sport Ireland for the latest updates and clarification to ensure that we as a sport continue to operate within the guidelines laid down by the relevant authorities.
At Rowing Ireland, our number one priority at this time is the health and safety of all our members. We ask all our Affiliated Clubs and registered members to continue to observe the guidelines during these unprecedented times. We must play our part in reducing the R number throughout the island.
Republic of Ireland
The Government has agreed that non-contact training can continue, outdoors in pods of 15 and indoors, individual training can take place also.
| FAQ’s | Question | Answer | Reasoning (Information Resource) |
| 1 | Can school aged children train in crew boats? | Yes | In pods of 15, Pod total must not exceed 15. (2) |
| 2 | Can all club member return to training? | Yes | Outdoor training pods of up to 15 socially distanced. (2) |
| 3 | Can adult club members, school aged children and coaches travel outside the 5k travel restriction area? | Yes. | Travel is now restricted to within your own county. (Masks and social distancing). Carpooling is to be avoided. (2) |
| 4 | Can individual rowers go out in sculls from the club? | Yes. | Individual training is allowed under level 3 but, you must be within your home county. Clubs can open facilities to facilitate this type of training. (2) |
| 5 | Can crews living within the 5K travel restriction zone who are part of a family bubble partake in training from their club? | Yes. | The only restrictions on travel and training in level 3 are; Stay in your county apart from work, education, medical and other essential purposes, if appropriate. (2) |
| 6 | Can club members travel outside their county to partake in a training session? | No. | The restriction imposed by government is, Stay in your county apart from work, education, medical and other essential purposes, if appropriate. (2) |
| 7 | Can University students aged 18 partake in training sessions? | Yes. | Level 3 allows for outdoor training in pods of 15 within your county. (2) |
| 8 | Can master category rowers use their own single sculls to get exercise during the level 3 restrictions? | Yes. | Level 3 allows for outdoor training in pods of 15 within your county. (2) |
| 9 | Can dressing rooms remain open? | No. | All athletes and coaches should arrive and depart in training gear. (2) . |
| 10 | Can Gyms with plenty of room and ventilation be used while maintaining social distancing and apply strict sterilization protocols? | Yes. | Level 3 restrictions allow the use of any indoor facilities for individual training only. Appropriate, sanitization must take place. (2) |
| 11 | Can more than one pod of 15 train at the same time? | Yes. | A clear and obvious separation between pods must be maintained at all times. Coaches should not interact between the pods. (2) |
| 12 | Must attendees at allowed training sessions wear a face mask? | Yes. | While it is not mandatory under the level 3 restrictions, it is highly advisable that you should wear a face mask in busy crowded outdoor spaces where there is significant congregation, it is highly advised to wear a face covering when a 2-meter social distance cannot be maintained at all times. Face covering should be worn until rowers are in their boats. Coxes must wear face covering at all times. (2) |
| 13 | Can sculling ladders take place? | No. | No matches or other sporting events should take place, (2) |
| 14 | Can members of pods travel together to and from training? | No. | Households should bring their own household members to training and not share transport to or from the venue. Encourage club members to wait in the car or outside the venue until just before the beginning of a practice instead of congregating with other members prior to the start. (2) |
| 15 | Does our club need to keep contact details of parents attending session for safeguarding purposes? | Yes | A log of all adults and children and attending every session, with contact information for contact tracing purposes must be recorded to enable contact tracing, should it be required. (3) |
| 16 | Does our club require a COVID-19 Compliance Officer? | Yes | Designating COVID compliance officers is a good way to help with coordination of risk mitigation actions. (3) |
Any club or group that is not in a position to apply these measures or enforce them should not hold training sessions.
Any local club or group found to be in breach of these measures will result in the club being excluded from the exemption.
Information Resources
(1) In line with the Government guidelines, Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for living with COVID – 19 documents, (Reference; Gov.ie https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/2dc71-level-5/)
(2) Ireland is moving to Level 3 on Tuesday, from the Department of the Taoiseach. Published on 15 September 2020, Last updated on 29 November 2020 https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/ad569-level-3/
(3) Email Communication from Sport Ireland to Sport NGB’s, Friday 23 October 2020
