'Rule of six' applied to adult indoor team sports

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement of new rules for adults playing team sports indoors, Sport England has pulled together answers to some of the key questions around what is and isn’t allowed.

With coronavirus (Covid-19) cases increasing, from today people aged 18 and over will need to adhere to the ‘rule of six’ if they’re playing team sports indoors – this means playing in a group of no more than six people.

Team sports that have already had guidance approved by the government for the safe playing of their sport can continue to use that guidance, provided they now limit the number of people aged 18 and over playing indoors to six.

Sport England havecollated answers to some common questions (FAQs) on their website, but below is a summary of what can continue:

• Indoor team sports involving children aged under 18, played formally and under government-approved guidance  
• Use of indoor sport and leisure facilities, including gyms and swimming pools  
• Organised indoor activities or exercise classes (these can take place in larger numbers, provided groups of more than six do not mix and the facility meets the government’s indoor facility guidance) 
• Outdoor sports played formally and under government-approved guidance  
• Outdoor sport and physical activity events following event-organiser guidance  
• Informal indoor or outdoor sport and physical activity in groups of six or fewer while social distancing and following government guidance, and guidance from the sport’s governing body.  

We know this week's announcements will also be difficult for elite sport, particularly the continued restrictions preventing crowds returning to sporting events, and Sport England are involved in conversations with the government and a number of sporting organisations about how they can help.

Sport England are also supporting leisure operators in their conversations with the government about possible financial support.