Water polo clubs and players have been given the green light for a return to training and competition after the Government approved Swim England guidance submitted evidence to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport at the beginning of the month. Water Polo is now on the approved list of sports allowed to restart competitive action following the easing of the coronavirus lockdown.
Swim England specific guidance for water polo clubs will include guidelines on social distancing during breaks and post-game, use of equipment, advice for match officials and coaches, injury treatment and information for spectators. The guidelines should be used in conjunction with Swim England’s Returning to the Pool guidance, which covers details on travel to training and matches plus advice for medics.
George Wood, Swim England’s Sport Development Director, welcomed the announcement by the Government. He said: “This is fantastic news and we’re thrilled water polo can now be played once again. I would like to thank Toby King and our Water Polo Leadership Group and our Head of Performance Operations, Rachel Bayley, for pushing forward this important piece of work. It will come as a welcome relief to our affiliated water polo clubs and players who have been desperate to enjoy the sport they love since pools were allowed to reopen. We have created guidance which ensures training and matches can be safely played while respecting the current guidelines set out by the Government. This is now available to download from the Swim England website and has been sent out to water polo clubs. The guidance should be adopted by clubs and leagues as appropriate and should be adhered to at all times to ensure the safety of athletes and officials and compliance with the standards agreed with Government.”