Boxers have been advised to train outdoors with their coaches
The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) has recommended that boxers do not return to sparring until at least mid-June after meetings of its nine-person medical panel.
In spite of the Government’s latest move to ease the lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic, it has advised that boxers now train outdoors with their coaches.
Last week, the Government allowed elite combat and team sports permission to resume full-contact training for the first time since March, even without a coronavirus testing process in place.
While step two of the guidance allows organised close contact training and one-on-one sparring in combat sports, coaching from inside two metres and certain shared equipment, it is down to the discretion of the designated Covid-19 officer in each sport.
Robert Smith, general secretary of the BBBofC told Telegraph Sport: “If you look at the Government guidelines, ultimately it is up to the governing bodies and we are not recommending sparring until mid June. It is too early and there is not enough information yet.
“By mid-July, when we are looking at starting events again [behind closed doors], it could be completely different and the plan is to go ahead with that as long as we feel it is practical at the time and that everything is in place.”
Smith added: “What is pleasing to the Board is that our major promoters are understanding of each others’ issues and are prepared to have no clashes of having events on the same nights when we start up again.”
In a document sent out by the BBBofC, obtained by Telegraph Sport, new guidance was issued to all its licence holders on returning to training during the Covid-19 pandemic.
They include rules on continued social distancing during travel from the training venue, no sharing of equipment, enhanced personal hygiene, trainers on pads wearing fluid-resistant face masks, and no sparring. The rules stated:
All Licence Holders should adhere to Government rules on social distancing when travelling to and from the training venue. You should not come within the two metres of another individual. Ideally training should take place outdoors. If this is not possible and training is taking place indoors please ensure there is good ventilation.
The BBBofC advise that appropriate social distancing and high standards of personal hygiene are maintained throughout the gym and in all training activities. Currently, the BBBofC do not recommend sparring.
All individual’s boxing equipment should not be shared and general gym equipment sharing should be minimised or avoided wherever possible. Please clean all equipment after individual use. Keep your water bottle and towel clean and do not share with others.
We understand that aspects of training result in time spent by two individuals within a 2-metre distance of one another. We recommend that this time is kept to a minimum and during close contact training (pad work) we advise that the trainer uses appropriate personal protective equipment (fluid resistant face mask, full face visor and latex free disposable gloves.
Should a known, suspected or contact case of Covid-19 be identified in the gym the individual/s in question should self-isolate and follow Public Health guidelines.
Elsewhere, boxing is set to return in the United States from next Wednesday, June 9, with Bob Arum’s Top Rank boxing organisation scheduled to have fifteen events in the next six to seven weeks behind closed doors from the ballroom at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Boxers, their teams and staff will arrive at the events a week before the fights to complete the testing protocols. The Nevada Commission – a government department in the US state – agreed the protocols for the events to proceed last week.
Arum told Telegraph Sport: “The tests will be carried out from a week before the fighters get into the ring, it will be very strict, and while it is going out on ESPN in the USA, with fifteen or so events in the weeks to the end of July, we are talking to the British broadcasters BT Sport and Sky Sports in the UK for then to air the fights as well.”
This Article First Appeared On The Telegraph