RED CARD - COVID crackdown on sports
Published:Thursday | December 17, 2020 | 12:29 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton is clamping down on unauthorised sporting events while issuing a stern warning to organisers that no gratuitous exceptions will be granted as Jamaica continues to grapple with the spread of the coronavirus disease.
Tufton was speaking to The Gleaner in light of the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ recent suspension of the JN Bank Men’s Invitational Exhibition tennis tournament, which began on Monday and was scheduled to run until Friday.
The event, which, according to Tennis Jamaica President John P. Azar, was not sanctioned by the sport’s local authority, was called off at the Liguanea Club on Wednesday.
“I was told no permission was granted for that (tennis) and a swimming tournament that is coming up. I don’t understand what is going on,” said Tufton.
“... I have inquired, and I was told that the individuals that would participate could not be granted permission based on their travels to other jurisdictions and were under quarantine.”
There are 3,106 active COVID-19 cases in Jamaica. Two hundred and seventy-six people have died from the infection.
Tufton emphasised that there would be no skirting of the restrictions applied to manage the coronavirus disease in the island. That includes the 14-day quarantine - a stricture the Government has maintained despite recommendations from the Pan American Health Organization that it could lapse.
“Everybody wants an exception and everybody wants everybody to comply, but you cannot have both. If you make provision and allow for one, what will you tell the others?” added Tufton, who outlined that the stop order was issued by Chief Medical Officer Dr Jacquiline Bisasor McKenzie.
Meanwhile, the Aquatic Sports Association of Jamaica (ASAJ) has been instructed by the Kingston and St Andrew Health Department to submit its logistical plans for a swim meet that is scheduled to take place at the National Aquatic Centre this weekend. No approval will be granted unless the event satisfies the ministry’s guidelines.
Correspondence obtained by The Gleaner and that was sent to ASAJ’s office administrator underlined that protocols must be submitted by Thursday morning for consideration.
“... This does not authorise the swim meet (even as a non-spectator event). As a public gathering exceeding 15 persons, approval is required unless the event will be a breach of the Disaster Risk Management Act,” the letter read.
The correspondence called for an outline of ASAJ’s pre-entry protocols and COVID-19 spread mitigation plans.
A media statement issued late Wednesday stated that the JN Bank Men’s Invitational Exhibition tennis tournament would resume on Thursday afternoon at 5 p.m. However, all efforts to contact tournament organiser Llockett McGregor were unsuccessful.
Several sporting events have been cancelled or postponed since the virus began to spread in Jamaica in March. The Jamaica Premier League, which was cancelled earlier this year and scheduled to start its new season last month, is among those awaiting government approval.