While few people would have expected cycling, and other sports, to resume when the current lock-down ends of March 5th, the details emerging now about the return of sport will come as some concern.
Both Taoiseach Micheál Martin and
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar have warned that most lock-down restrictions will remain in place until about May or
longer.
Their comments did not clarify the prospects for sport and Mr Martin has since said a Covid-19
plan for the period after March 5th would be unveiled next week.
That
means Irish cycling will have to wait until next week for firm news, though remarks
by the GAA have offered insight for all sports.
In the
latter months of last year the GAA football and hurling championships were allowed
to proceed to a conclusion, despite almost all other sports being closed down.
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For
example, all of cyclocross – including the provincial and national
championships – were cancelled on the basis only “elite” sport was being
permitted.
While
the GAA championships secured “elite” status and were permitted, the national
cyclocross championships were not afforded the same status.
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However, the GAA has now made a clear statement revealing the Government has informed it that its events would not be permitted for quite some time because of the lock-down.
In the context of even the GAA announcing an extended, indefinite, shut-down it seems certain other sports, including cycling, will be subject to the same restrictions.
The GAA has told its members and clubs that even no training would be allowed until at least the start of April, at the very earliest.
A letter to GAA clubs and counties from
the GAA’s president John Horan and director general Tom Ryan made it clear that
games were being suspended indefinitely.
“It was also clear that there will not
be any change to this position post-March 5th when the restrictions currently
in place are reviewed,” the letter said.
“It is the view of the GAA’s Covid advisory
group that no on-field activity will be permitted – training or games – until
Easter at the earliest.
“In the interim, it is expected that the
Government will publish an updated ‘Living with Covid’ plan and we expect that
this will provide clarity on when clubs and counties are likely to be allowed
return to training and games in 2021. It should also provide clarity on when
other off-field club activities may be permitted to resume.”
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