COVID-19 restrictions: NSA excludes swimming from approved disciplines.
The National Sports Authority has excluded swimming from the list of 14 sporting disciplines cleared to return to action.
In the latest ease of restrictions introduced to gradually, return the country to normalcy, President Akufo-Addo announced that contact sporting disciplines were to remain suspended until July 31, 2020.
Conversely, Akufo-Addo also indicated that non-contact sporting disciplines were allowed to commence training.
Subsequent to this, the NSA has released a list of disciplines covered under the “non-contact” sports category.
However, conspicuously missing from the list, was swimming.
The exclusion of swimming has raised eyebrows because scientists say, the chlorine in the pool kills the coronavirus.
Admittedly, most pools are housed inside a gym facility or other public space, that presents possibilities for infection before you ever reach the chlorinated water.
However, Roberta Lavin, a professor of medicine at the University of Tennessee’s College of Nursing, explained why swimming is a safe sport.
“The good news is that the average amount of chlorine that’s in a pool is going to kill the virus. I think of all the things you could do, swimming is probably safer than most activities,” Lavin says.
Disciplines such as athletics, golf, tennis, table tennis have all been cleared to return.
Full List of Sporting Disciplines cleared to return:
- Athletics
- Badminton
- Table Tennis
- Tennis
- Golf
- Power Lifting
- Weightlifting
- Cycling
- Draughts
- Para Sports (Individual non-contact para-sports)
- Rowing and Canoeing
- Horse Racing
- Baseball and Softball.
- Squash
