1. What sportive or recreational activities can be practices?
Although the state of alert still involves limitations as concerns exercising certain rights, including practicing certain sports, there is a range of sportive or recreational activities that can be practiced in open air, both within localities and outside the limits thereof, in compliance with the conditions established by law.
Thus, even if the freedom of movement is prohibited outside the locality/metropolitan area, travelling for individual recreational or sportive activities in open air, such as cycling, hiking, jogging, rowing, alpinism, hunting, fishing and other recreational or sportive activities established by common order of the minister of health and of the minister of youth and sports, waters and forests, as the case may be.
Before presenting the provisions of the Common Order of the Minister of Youth and Sports and of the Minister of Health on 19.05.2020, we have to point out the prohibition imposed through art. 1 point (5) in the Annex no. 3 to the Government Decision 394/2020: to the recreational and sportive activities practiced in open air may participate no more than 3 persons who do not live together.Per a contrario, this number can be exceeded only if the persons live together. The proof of living together may be made by means of any document proving the domicile or residence.
As concerns the sports activities that can be practiced in open air, during the state of alert, the Common Order mentioned above stipulates that the following sports can be practices: aeronautics, alpinism, athletics (running, discus throw, shot put, javelin), sports racing, bob, skeleton and sledge, kayak (kayak sprint, rafting, stand-up paddle, white water rafting), canoeing, cycling (road cycling, mountain bike), archery, shooting, biathlon, yachting (windsurfing, sailing).
At the same time, the order indicates that general physical exercise in open air is allows, giving as examples stretching, elements of running, gymnastics balance and space orientation exercises, exercises involving own weight, individual technique and tactics exercises by mental representation of the opposing competitor or of a specific situation of fight/game, technical/tactical execution type shadow boxing, exercising playing techniques without a ball, etc. This list is not limitative and other general physical training exercises can be practiced as well.
As can be seen, the activities involving team or contact sports are still object of the prohibition.
2. In what conditions can the sports and recreational activities be practiced?
During the training, as far as professional sport is concerned, a safety distance has to be maintained:
- at least 2 meters during the resting periods;
- at least 6 meters during intense physical activities;
- at least 6 metres between boats in the case of yachting;
- at least 10 meters in the case of athletics, running, cycling, horse riding, biathlon, during skiing and shooting;In the case of yachting, preparing the boat to go out to see shall take place observing the social distancing rules and using the individual protection equipment.
However, if the sporting activity is practiced for recreational, not professional purposes, the provisions mentioned at the beginning of this article shall apply, i.e. no more than 3 participants who do not live together. The proof of living together can be made by means of any document certifying the place of domicile or residence.
As concerns tennis, the singles game:
- on a tennis court access is allows for no more than 3 participants (2 players, 1 trainer/medic, etc.)
- access of ball boys and girls on the court and changing courts are not allowed
- the players have to mark their own balls and use only their balls when serving, and the gathering of the balls shall take place using the dedicated tubes and other equipment that do not involve direct contact with the skin of the players.
If the activity requires travelling to other cities, the self-declaration has to be filled in (see the end of the article), point 8 – recreational, individual sport activities practiced in open air.