COVID-19 Return to Play Update

Hi All,

Hope you're keeping well.

Allow me to update you on the status of our national return to play policy. It is with the DCMS for approval and we await their response (and, hopefully, their approval of our return!).The policy includes a quick reference summary and four detailed phases - 3 for a phased return to training, and 1 for game days. All teams wanting to adopt this policy will need to sign an acceptance form and the respective team managers will need to assist the national and regional committees in enforcing this once approved.

A risk assessment guide and template will be included in the policy document to help teams carry out their own assessment for their members. It is strongly advised that teams complete this process sooner rather than later - plenty of information can be found on the Gov.uk, Sports England and UK Active websites.

Insurance details:

• Teams, officials and players registered in the BRHA for the 2019/20 season will continue to be insured up to and including 31 August 2020 subject to the acceptance form being signed and received;
  
  
• New teams entering the BRHA for 2020/21 will need to ensure all documentation is signed and logged on our system ahead of their return to play; however, team liability and personal accident cover won't commence until 1 September 2020. NB: I am working closely with our insurers to see if we can extend this to new teams joining the league but, as yet, we haven't received confirmation of this so please assume insurance won't be in place until September;
  
  
• Uninsured parties will need to present a copy of an insurance certificate if they are adopting the BRHA policy. If this is not received at the time of signing the acceptance form then the adoption of our policy won't be possible;
  
  
• Parties not adopting the BRHA's policy will need to comply with your respective rink/venue's policy and the BRHA Regional Executive Committee will not be involved in any capacity unless an acceptance form is signed after which time the team falls under BRHA guidance;
  
  
• Insured parties will void their insurance if found to be non-compliant with the return to play policy;
  
  
• COVID-19 is excluded from the scope of our policy as it cannot be proven where the virus was contracted. Specific wording is being added to this affect in the new policy documentation.

In terms of timescales, the honest truth is we don't know when we will hear back from the DCMS and how many iterations we may need to go through. Rest assured that as a player and committee member at both national and regional level, I am doing everything I can to move this forward as timely as possible. I knew it wouldn't be an easy task but it has taken considerably longer than originally anticipated to get to this point.

Stay safe,

Dave McGill
Director & Secretary, BRHA Limited
General Secretary, BRHA South