Governor Steve Sisolak held a press conference on Friday to provide an update on Nevada’s COVID-19 response efforts and adjustments to existing restrictions on youth and adult recreation sports.
The new directive will allow, practice, training and play for specified non-contact and minimal contact sports, statewide for youth and adult recreational sports, but not limited to travel clubs, private leagues and clubs, recreational leagues/centers and park district sports programs.
The new directive takes effective October 3, Saturday at 12:01 a.m. Tournaments may begin taking place no earlier than Oct. 24, 2020, if all requirements are met.
The new Directive and accompanying guidance will allow for practice, training and competitions for non-contact and minimal-contact sports statewide for both youth and adult sports. Sports leagues must first submit a Preparedness & Safety Plan and comply with all health and safety protocols outlined in the guidance, including strict adherence to social distancing, sanitization and capacity limitations on spectators at sporting events.
“As I have said before, sports are paramount to the mental and physical health, growth and development of leadership skills among our youth,” Gov Sisolak said. “We are enacting these new standards so that those who enjoy competing can begin safely returning to play.”
The Directive does not pertain to professional or collegiate sports, and it retains the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association’s (NIAA) existing authority over when high school sports will resume and the guidelines under which those competitions will resume. Not all sports will be allowed at this time – only minimal- and non-contact sports as defined in the Directive may commence. The sports allowed have been categorized based on contact level and associated risk.
Minimal-contact and non-contact sports will be allowed to resume practices, games, competitions and tournaments soon -- if social distancing and requirements can be met.
The minimal & non-contact sports now allowed include, but are not limited to:
Baseball/softball
Soccer
Volleyball
Golf
Track and field & Cross Country
Sideline/no-contact cheer and dance
Swimming and diving
Gymnastics
Fencing
Kickball
Tournaments may begin no earlier than Oct. 24, 2020, if all the requirements are met. Any event organizer that wants to host a tournament & has received approval for their Sports Safety Plan to resume play, must also submit a “Tournament COVID-19 Preparedness & Safety Plan."
As I mentioned, not all sports will be allowed right away under this directive. Full-contact sports, defined as sports that require or are likely to have routine or sustained close proximity of physical contact, remain prohibited at this time.
Prohibited full-contact sports include, but are not limited to:
Football
Rugby
Wrestling
Boxing
Hockey
Lacrosse
Group cheer & dance
Basketball
Water polo
Martial Arts
These sports may only take place on a limited basis for athletic conditioning, drills, practices in which dummy players, sleds, punching bags and similar equipment is used, but athletes may not come in contact with other players.
Earlier this week, Sisolak issued an Emergency Directive adjusting the COVID-19 Statewide Baseline Mitigation Standards, including increasing limits on gathering sizes.
The new directive and accompanying guidance addresses gatherings of all types and iterations. This new directive increases the limit on gatherings from 50 to 250 people or 50 percent of capacity, whichever is less, so long as social distancing can be maintained and all other requirements can be met.
“This is an important step towards allowing more Nevadans to safely participate in social gatherings, including those facilitated by our faith-based communities,” Gov Sisolak said. “Additionally, this will allow Nevada to continue on the responsible path of economic reopening and recovery. With this next step comes great responsibility for our residents, business owners, workers, and families. I’m confident Nevada will rise to this challenge to ensure we follow all mitigation measures and guidance to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and protect our economy.”
Related: Gov. Sisolak: Cap On Gatherings Upped To 250, Youth Sports Restrictions Update To Come
