News

COVID-19 UPDATE – GRASSROOTS MOTORSPORT (19 MARCH)

Motorsport Australia is determined to continue to update our members during this unprecedented time with the latest information on the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) situation.

As previously stated, Motorsport Australia believes smaller events may continue to run based on the current government restrictions, and of course, with the appropriate precautions in place. As of 19 March, this position remains the same.

The Australian Government has announced new community sport guidelines to combat the spread of COVID-19 and Motorsport Australia would like to share this valuable information with you. Please see below, taken from the Sport Australia website.

Minister for Sport issues community guidelines

These guidelines were developed by the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC), comprising all state and territory Chief Health Officers and is chaired by the Australian Chief Medical Officer, Professor Brendan Murphy.

The guidelines were subsequently endorsed by the newly formed National Cabinet which is made up of all Premiers, First Ministers and the Prime Minister.

AHPPC COVID-19 Community Sport Guidelines

All community sport participants must play a role to help reduce the transmission of COVID 19, including those organising, attending or supporting attendance at these activities.

Participants should not attend and participate in Community Sport if they:

• have travelled internationally or been exposed to a person with COVID-19 in the preceding 14 days; or
• are at a high risk including the elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions.

Attendance at Community Sport activities

Only essential participants should attend activities, i.e. players, coaches, match officials, staff and volunteers involved in operations and parents/guardians of participants.

All players, visitors should practise the following social distancing measures at Community Sporting activities:

• Players, visitors and officials should minimise physical contact as much as is practicable, for example no shaking hands, no walking out with player mascots, no pre- or post-match celebrations and no celebrating between players during the match.
• When spectating or attending a game or training session, ensure a distance of 1.5 metres is kept between yourself and others.
• Access to change rooms should be restricted solely to players, officials and essential staff.
• If spectating, try to maintain 1.5 metres between yourself and others.
• It is recommended that sporting teams, including school sporting teams, maintain local competitions only, with no inter-district, or inter-club travel. As with all gatherings, basic protective measures should be observed, such as regular hand hygiene practices before, during and after the match, do not share drink bottles, and avoid touching your face.
• It is acknowledged that contact sports have a greater risk of transmission than other sports, and as such, should be considered on a case-by-case basis. However, other mitigation strategies for match socialisation and contact must be employed to reduce the risk to players, visitors, and officials more broadly.

General hygiene measures at facilities

Facilities should ensure that:

• 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 dispensers are regularly refilled

 

The most recent advice released by the AHPPC can be found at: https://www.health.gov.au/news/australianhealth-protection-principal-committee-ahppc-coronavirus-covid-19-statement-on-17-march-2020

Additional information relating to the Government’s response to COVID-19 can be found at: www.health.gov.au

The Australian Institute of Sport is maintaining an information page on COVID-19 and Sporting Activity here: https://ais.gov.au/health-wellbeing/covid-19

 

In response Motorcycling SA are here to support your club and event however possible. Our ‘hotline’ 8332 9000 remains active during business hours and we are also monitoring emails out of hours, so your regular contacts will be available.

To our Motorcycling South Australia riders, committees, clubs, coaches and volunteers,

 

As the situation around COVID-19 (commonly known as Coronavirus) continues to develop, we are committed to providing up-to-date information to you all, as it becomes available to us.

On March 16, Motorcycling Australia issued a statement and advice to the State Controlling Bodies on the running of events with over 500 people and issuing of MA Permits for events. This was based on the advice and direction of the Federal and State Governments.

Motorcycling South Australia support the State and Federal Governments in their attempt to contain the spread of this virus as much as possible. We encourage you to keep up to date, and do your part in reducing your chance of contracting the virus.

For more information visit; https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus

With all this in mind, the following clubs and/or promoters have decided to postpone or cancel the following events due to many reason, most outside of their control:

Postponed;          

March 28              Sidewinders                   Silver Helmet Meeting

March 29              Atujara                           Collingrove Hillclimb

March 29              MRA                               Club round

April 5                    MSA                               Women’s Only Come & Try

April 11                  Sidewinders                   Baker / Bitmead Meeting

April 11 & 12         Port Pirie                       King of the Gulf motocross

April 25                 Sidewinders                   ANZAC / President’s Cup Meeting

 

Under Review;

April 4                            SRA                                 SA B Grade Sidecar Championship, Gillman

April 4                           MSA                                Elite Rider Program Day 1

May 2                             Whyalla                          Dash for Cash

 

Cancelled;

March 28              Keith                    Diesel & Dirt Derby & Come & Try

 

Information will be made available from the Event Organisers, to all riders who have already entered on their options for either having their entry roll over or refunded.

At this stage all other events are going ahead as planned, and further to this Motorcycling South Australia support and encourage any clubs wishing to continue to operate to do so, within the current strict hygiene and social distancing guidelines.

However, if a Club wishes to postpone any activity we actively support this decision, as you know your community better than any of us.

To keep up to date on the status of events we encourage you to continue to visit our website: https://www.motorcyclingsa.org.au/riders/calendar/

The Motorcycling South Australia office will remain open, but will be closed for counter enquiries.

We feel this will reduce any disturbance in the service we can provide to our Riders and Clubs.

Due to ALL indoor gatherings/meetings now having to be less than 100 people and venues needing to be cleaned and sanitized effectively (as per the Prime Minister on March 18) the MSA Hall will now be closed for meetings.

MSA is not able to provide adequate cleaning and sanitation processes for the hall to protect our members and staff.

We wish to assure you all that the decisions we make, are with the best intentions and with the most up to date information available to us at this time.

 

We will continue to communicate as information and the situation progresses.

 

Warm regards,

 

Brenton Matters

President
Motorcycling South Australia