MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND SPORTS
GENERAL SECRETARIAT OF SPORTS
PRESS OFFICE
Athens, November 7, 2020
PRESS RELEASE
The exceptions to the general suspension of the operation and use of sports facilities, with the new emergency measures against the pandemic, as will be implemented nationwide from today and for the entire month of November, are stated in the Joint Ministerial Decision signed by the Deputy Minister of Culture and Sports, Lefteris Avgenakis.
The Joint Decision, therefore, of the Ministries of Culture and Sports, Finance, Development and Investments, Citizen Protection, National Defense, Education and Religious Affairs, Labor and Social Affairs, Health, Environment and Energy, Justice, Interior, Immigration and Asylum, Infrastructure and Transport, Shipping and Island Policy on the subject:
* "Emergency measures to protect public health from the risk of further spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus throughout the territory for the period from Saturday, November 7, 2020 to Monday, November 30, 2020"
provides the following for sports activities:
Suspension of the operation and use of organized sports facilities, except in the following cases:
1) Operation of open sports facilities, without the use of changing rooms, exclusively by teams of up to three (3) people, including the coach and without the presence of spectators, for the purpose of practicing sports through the following individual sports:
* track and field (up to 60 people in total within the open sports facility)
* swimming (exclusively in open swimming pools, up to three people per route)
* tennis,
* shooting,
* archery,
* sailing,
* rowing,
* canoe kayak,
* water skiing,
* cycling,
* golf,
* horse riding,
* motor sports,
* mountaineering/climbing,
> Further details will be posted on the website of the General Secretariat for Sports (https://gga.gov.gr/component/content/article/278-covid/2981-covid19-sports)
2) Operation of sports facilities for training and matches without the presence of spectators of the participating teams:
> in the men's First National Division football championship (Super League),
> in the Basketball League,
> in European competitions (Champions League, Europa League, Euroleague, BCL, according to the special protocols of UEFA, Euroleague, FIBA),
> national teams, men's or women's, team sports that have competitive obligations during this specific period.
In any case, the application of this case is only possible if the teams follow a health protocol, which includes mandatory weekly preventive testing of athletes for COVID-19 with antigen tests, from accredited laboratories.
3) Use of sports facilities by those listed in lists issued by the General Secretariat of Sports, following a recommendation from the Hellenic Olympic Committee and the Hellenic Paralympic Committee, to meet their preparation needs for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2021.
* Further instructions, health protocols for training and competitions, as posted on the website of the General Secretariat of Sports (https://gga.gov.gr/component/content/article/278-covid/2981-covid19-sports)
4) Operation of sports facilities for the completion of international sports events that are in progress at the time of publication of this, in compliance with the health protocols of the General Secretariat of Sports.
5) Operation and use of swimming pools for therapeutic exercise by people with disabilities, as well as by their companions, provided that
> swimming has been prescribed as a treatment method and
> a recent medical certificate is provided that allows the specific therapeutic method during the current period of time.
In addition, citizens are prohibited from staying in outdoor sports areas, organized marinas, parks and groves.
The following are clarified:
A. The possibility of exempting the operation of sports facilities for training and matches, without the presence of spectators, will be immediately examined for other domestic championships and/or international events, whose teams will submit and approve a health protocol, which includes mandatory weekly preventive testing of athletes for COVID-19 with antigen tests from accredited laboratories.
B. The possibility of preparing athletes for the European and World Championships, which are to be held until April 2021, will be examined immediately, with lists of names to be issued by the General Secretariat of Sports, following a recommendation from their respective Federations.