Ready or not, Singapore is gradually reopening. When and how the sports community join back in is a topic that will play out in the coming weeks. How to return will be shaped by what local authorities allow, what sport and public health bodies recommend, what liability risks exist, and what parents are willing to accept for their kids to train again.

Singapore Gymnastics (SG) is working with affiliated clubs to ensure that we can reduce all the Return To Gym risks within the individual gym facilities around the transmission of the coronavirus. Ensuring that their facilities are ready to meet the challenge and help reassure members — and staff — that their environment is safe, providing peace of mind and clearing a path towards a new type of normalcy.

Singapore Gymnastics has always be guided by the Multi-Ministry Task Force (MTF) and other relevant government agencies. Together with the help of fellow people from the gymnastics community both locally and internationally, our Chief Medical Officer and the SportSG “Safe return to Sport Plan” which reflects the current MTF National Posturing, SG Return To Gym guidelines were shared with all affiliated clubs last Friday, 05 June 2020, and made exclusively accessible through Singapore Gymnastics’ Trello Boards and website.

Among the topics discussed are Returning to Training in general, Safe Management Officers, Facilities Access, Measures within facilities, Measures during training, General Hygiene, General Measures, Education and Communications, Isolation and Contingency Protocols.

It is important to note that this Return to Gym guidelines put out is not equivalent to Return to Training. Return to Gym refers to the logistics, operations and organisation of the staff manpower as well as the gym facility itself. While we have referred to some class scheduling, group management and safe distancing in our current Return to Gym guidelines, please note they are arbitrary and subjected to change. Always refer to the latest guidelines presented by the various government agencies.

Return to Training, on the other hand, is around developing and managing athletes training programmes for both recreational and high-performance gymnasts who have had extended time out of the gym. It is also about implementing safe training practices to transition athletes gradually back into optimal ie # of sessions per week, # of hours per session and loading in each session, over the week and month etc, through to when the athletes will be prepared and ready for their first competition. Singapore Gymnastics will look to run workshops and provide information for coaches around Return To Training.

The SG Return To Gym guidelines is to help clubs prepare and plan for the reopening of their facility, with a focus on the development of a Safe Management Plan and an appointment of Safe Management Officers (SMO). They will assist the clubs to communicate quickly to their members on the measures they have in place as soon as the government have announced the measurements around sport returning. With reference to the current MTF National posturing, some important points to note:

• The SG Return to Gym Guidelines are subject to further changes, SG will continue to update the Clubs as the changes and nuances occur.
• Presently the current MTF National Posturing around the return to sport are:
  • Small-Group Sizing - limited to 5 pax groups (which includes coaches etc)
  • Space distancing - 2m distancing between participants when exercising.
  • The specifics about distance, numbers etc will be guided by MTF. SG “Return To Gym” guidelines will be amended to reflect the requirements.
• Clubs also should be aware that other parameters could be put in place as restrictions are lifted which are not discussed in these guidelines, such as
  • Venue capacity
  • Age parameters
• The COVID-19 situation has been ever-changing, likewise, requirements may change to accommodate the fluid landscape, but it is important to start preparing in anticipation now.
  • Consider various possible scenarios to reopening your facility
  • Consideration should be given to the restrictions implemented previously before CB
  • There may be a need to have at least two plans for Return to Gym when looking at the scheduling of classes in the gym:
    • one that incorporates and reflects SG’s guidelines
    • another that further incorporates and reflects the current MTF National Posturing

SG and SportSG will be guided by the final recommendations by MTF, and therefore these standardised parameters are guides and will be adjusted once more information is available.