FROM: PRESIDENT
Southern Inland Swimming Association
TO: SISA Swimming Clubs
SISA Swimmers and Parents
SUBJECT: Update on Swimming within the Southern Inland
As I have stated a number of times, the last few months has changed the way we live and socially interact with our family, friends, and general community including our SISA swimming community. The social distancing and health measures that we all now practice will, I believe just become the norm from now on. Therefore, we must acknowledge and comply with these restrictions and adapt our sporting practices to comply with these current and future restrictions.
The Wagga Wagga Swim Club (WWSC) is the first club in SISA to hold a meet under COVID-19 restrictions. The WWSC has produced a COVID Safety Plan for their meet with reference to Government and Swimming NSW directions and guidelines. To ensure that the WWSC COVID Plan would be adhered to by those wishing to attend and compete in the meet a number of ‘Terms and Conditions’ were established and included on Swim Central where any person purchasing a entry, be it a competitor, spectator or coach had to tick a box acknowledging that they had read and understood the ‘Terms and Conditions’.
There appears to be some confusion as to a number of aspects in respect to the WWSC Meet and the direction taken by the WWSC so I have included an open letter from Ged Horsley – President, Wagga Wagga Swim Club.
START OPEN LETTER
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Please find attached the current Terms and Conditions (T & C's) for attending the Wagga Wagga Swimming Club long course carnival, to be held at Oasis Regional Aquatic Centre on the 21 November 2020. They were effective from the 21 October 2020.
The T & C's were written by Wagga Wagga Swimming Club taking into consideration the COVID Safety Plans for 'Swimming Pools, Saunas and Spas - effective 01/07/2020', 'Community Sporting Competitions and full Training Activities - effective 24/09/2020', 'Swimming NSW COVID-19 Club and Area Activity Guidelines - effective October 2020', 'Swimming NSW COVID-19 Club and Area Technical Official Guidelines - effective October 2020', and the venue capacity restriction of 300 attendees. The venue capacity was calculated using the guidelines above. These guidelines are continually mentioned in the 'Hot Off The Blocks' weekly newsletters released by Swimming NSW. They are the current Wagga Wagga Swimming Clubs T & C's, and NOT Oasis Regional Aquatic Centre, or Wagga Wagga City Councils.
Upon entering the Wagga Wagga Swimming Club Carnival, you voluntarily agree to the T & C's set by the Wagga Wagga Swimming Club. You must tick the box stating that you have read and understand the T & C's, prior to completing your purchase.
These T & C's are not only for the Carnival to be held on the 21 November 2020, but for every Club night Wagga Wagga Swimming Club holds for its members each Friday night. The current T & C's have been in place since the 21 October 2020.
The border region resident permit condition which is causing the controversy, is from the 'Community Sporting Competitions and full Training Activities' COVID Safety Plan - effective 24/09/2020 . By agreeing to the T & C's when entering the carnival, you agree that you have read and understood the T & C's. The condition of the border region resident permit not only applies to Albury, but any club attending the carnival that resides within the border region or Victoria.
As your Clubs committee members would be aware, all clubs must have a current 'Community Sporting Competitions and full Training Activities COVID Safety Plan - effective 24/09/2020', completed prior to returning to swimming activities.
The current penalty for an individual that knowingly breaches a COVID Safety Plan is $1,000, and $5,000 for an organisation. The $5,000 fine can be issued to each director that knowingly breaches the COVID Safety Plan. Business can by be fined up to $55,000
The fines mentioned above are why Wagga Wagga Swimming Club are strictly abiding by the COVID Safety Plans and Swimming NSW guidelines.
The workload in resuming competition is unmatched to previous years. A decision to hold our meet was done with consideration to balancing the various guidelines and public health orders, with the opportunity to race.
We accept the current situation is not ideal. It has taken a massive effort from our members and committee to keep the Wagga meet on the SISA calendar.
Cheers, Ged HORSLEY
Wagga Wagga Swimming Club President. (0408 674282)
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Just to reiterate a few issues, every SISA swimming club that undertakes any Squad Training, Club Night, Time Trial and/or a Swim Meet MUST have a COVID Plan for each of those activities. Additionally, any venue holding any of the above-mentioned activities must have a system in place to record details of those person attending the venue for any later contact tracing. These details are retained securely for 28 days.
The SISA Executive is well aware that the current COVID restrictions has limited the numbers available to compete in organised meets. To ensure that as many of our SISA swimmers get the opportunity to compete SISA has offered a number of Swim Clubs the opportunity to host an additional meet to the current SISA Swim Meet Calendar. No club has accepted that offer.
Regards
Tom Murphy
President - Southern Inland Swimming Association