SSA COVID-19 Safe Management Plans for Resumption of Aquatic Sports Activities for Phase 2 Version 2

As announced by the Multi-Ministry Taskforce on 19 May 2020, Singapore will embark on a three-phase approach to resume activities safely, post-circuit breaker. For more information (https://www.gov.sg/article/post-circuit-breaker-when-can-wemove-on-to-phases-2-and-3)

• As announced by the Multi-Ministry Taskforce, Phase Two will commence on 19 June 2020.

• This document provides the safety management measures to assist and offer guidance to all pool facility owners, swim school owners, administrators and coaches in Singapore so they can plan to re-open facilities from phase 2 onwards and commence aquatic lessons for learn to swim participants and competitive athletes, in line with Government timescales, as safely as possible.

• Sport Singapore (SportSG) has been engaging the Singapore Swimming Association (SSA) on the safe management measures for aquatic sports. The SSA will be publishing our SportSG endorsed safe management plans on our website www.swimming.org.sg and on Sport Singapore website: https://circle.myactivesg.com/ssi/safe-return-to-sport from 19 June onwards.

• This document is guided by current MOH guidelines, SportSg’s Advisory for resumption of sport and physical exercise activity for phase two, as well as aquatic industry and expert inputs.

• The parameters will be reviewed from time to time, and guidelines may change at a later juncture in Phase Two, taking into account how well the safe measures are implemented by operators and the compliance of the users in these settings, and the broader COVID-19 situation at the time. Please refer to the latest version  (Version 2) in order to benefit from the latest best practices.

The key revisions from version 1 are as follows:
 

• A Coach for competitive aquatic sports, where the athletes are training for races and competitions may take up to 3 groups of 5 participants provided the groups maintain a distance of 3m apart from one another and the coach keeps a distance of 3m apart from the groups at all times.
• An Instructor who teaches participants for aquatic sports, which is equivalent to Swimsafer bronze level and above, where the participant has achieved the competency to swim at least 100m continuously, may take up to 2 groups of 5 participants provided the groups maintain a distance of 3m apart from one another and the Instructor keeps a distance of 3m apart from the groups at all times.
• An Instructor who teaches participants for aquatic sports, which is equivalent to learn to swim at Swimsafer Stage 3 and below, where the participant cannot swim 100m continuously may only take 1 group of up to 5 participants. The instructor is encouraged to remain on the pool deck, to be able to see all of the swimmers at all times, but may go into the water if participants are in difficulty or non-swimmers.
• The capacity limit applies to pool users including participants, coaches, instructors, sports scientists and caregivers. It does not apply to staff like safe management officers, safe distancing ambassadors and life guards who are performing their role as lifeguard on duty on pool deck.

Download Version 2 of the guidelines here