GABORONE, Botswana – Yesterday afternoon (Tuesday), Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, Hon. Tumiso Macdonald Rakgare addressed the most anticipated media briefing since local sporting activities were suspended more than a year ago due to COVID-19. In his address, Minister Rakgare told the media that a decision had been taken by Cabinet last week Wednesday for the safe return of competitive sports. A gratifying moment was when the Government Gazette Extraordinary, dated 8th June 2021, followed suit to cement Rakgare’s positive assertions.

The regulations are:

(i) be provided by the host with clean water and soap to wash their hands or with hand sanitizer throughout the duration of the activity,

(ii) wear a face mask or homemade item that covers the nose and mouth or another appropriate item that covers the nose and mouth, where the person is not a participant of the activity, and,

(iii) observe the social distancing requirements of being at least 2 metres apart from each other.

(b) a sports facility may host authorised sports daily where there shall not be more than 50 participants and 50 officials at any given time.

(c) spectators are prohibited from attending competitive sporting activities;

(d) alcohol shall not be sold or consumed at the facility during a sporting activity;

(e) water bottles and hydration containers shall not be shared by participants;

(f) daily disinfection of sporting facility and equipment shall take place where sporting activities are carried out, under the supervision of the Director of Health Services;

(g) a sports host shall facilitate a minimum of a 30-minute break every 2 hours during a sport activity which is held indoors, to allow for ventilation of the facilities;

(h) a sporting activity host shall appoint a SHE officer for every activity;

(i) an adult shall supervise all junior competitive sporting activities;

(j) a sports facility shall be closed, upon direction of the Director of Health Services, where there is a reasonable suspicion that a person who has accessed the premises has come into contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 or that a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 has had access to the premises;

MYSC PS Kago Ramokate

(k) the checking of body temperature of all persons in attendance of a sports facility is carried out by the host, and where the person’s body temperature is 37.4 degrees celsius and above, such person shall not be

allowed to access the sports facility, and the person shall be referred to the Director of Health Services;

(l) a sports host shall maintain a register containing the personal details and contact details of all persons accessing the sports facility;

(m) the register referred to in paragraph (l) shall be open for inspection by the Director of Health Services for the purposes of contact tracing, and shall be open for inspection by any law enforcement officer for the

investigation of an offence under the Regulations; and

(n) a sports host shall surrender the register to the Director of Health Services, within 30 days from the date of

such sporting activity being held.