The BPIHA would like to acknowledge the manner in which our players, clubs and wider network continue to use creative ways to engage and stay active during this lock-down period.
We have seen amongst other things: online training video’s, colouring competitions, quizzes, team zoom meetings and of course the players stick tap for the NHS and Key Workers all of which continues to help to keep our sport in the public eye.
Now that the UK and Home Nation Governments are beginning to ease the lockdown that we have all been subject to since 23rd March, it is important that as an Association we start to make provision for the managed return to training and competition for Para Ice Hockey .
However, there is still a great deal of uncertainty around the return of competitive and recreational sport and as you can appreciate, this will be a complex process and one where we must make sure that the welfare of our members, athletes and staff remains the upmost priority. It is therefore critical that we work together to make sure that when we return to the ice, we do so safely.
Behind the scenes the BPIHA have been reviewing and considering how our return to the ice might be managed in a way that is in-line with the government’s guidelines and priorities. This managed approach therefore will be determined by government advice on the resumption of indoor physical activity from both the UK and the devolved administrations.
The intention of this guidance is to assist clubs in planning a managed return to competitive hockey and in doing this, we also need to adhere strongly to the guidance set out by the English Ice Hockey Association in their document ‘Return to Play’ issued on 2nd June 2020 and any future guidance issued by Ice Hockey UK, the British Paralympic Association and the Home Nation Sporting Administrations.
