Prime Minister Scott Morrison announces framework for return of sport

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced national guidelines to help with the return of sport, setting out a number of Federal requirements that major sporting codes will have to meet to return from the Coronavirus pandemic.

Prime Minister Morrison confirmed today new national principles would be set up for sport and recreation to assist state governments, with a medical panel to consider three different elements - elite sport, local sport and general recreation such as surfing.

As reported by AAP, Prime Minister Morrison stated “(we want) safe way to be able to do that, and to get as much consistency as we possibly can across all the states and territories.

"That was strongly supported today by all the states and territories, having something along those lines they would find very helpful."

The decision-making process for elite sport would also consider a return to training for Olympic athletes, as well as funding issues.

Prime Minister Morrison indicated sports would assist in producing the guidelines, given they have conducted a significant amount of biosecurity research themselves in planning their return, adding "in terms of the big codes - AFL, NRL, things like that - they're both working through states and territories presently.

"And what we'll be doing, and particularly what the medical expert panel will be doing, will be drawing their proposals together.

"My understanding is that they have already had quite a lot of expert advice going into their plans.

"That will probably present a lot of the homework that needs to be done to support the expert panel in setting out what some of those principles are."

The NRL have already announced that its elite competition will restart on 28th May while the NSW Rugby League (NSWRL) say rugby league competition across the state will recommence as of 18th July.

To back its recommencement, the NRL example, have compiled a 40-page biosecurity document which Australian Rugby League Commission Chairman Peter V'landys has claimed will provide the benchmark for other sports to follow.

Image courtesy of Groundhopper.