Professional sports to resume

The government has approved a re-start of professional sports competitions in Czechia. However, they will have to meet strict hygienic conditions.

Starting Wednesday, professional athletes will be allowed to train in indoor facilities which have been closed since October 12 due to the epidemic.

Individual competitions will be able to resume only if they meet certain criteria. Regular testing will probably be one of the requirements. All matches will take place without spectators.

The exact requirements have not yet been published – but it can be expected that the measures will be financially and organizationally demanding. According to the chairman of the National Sports Agency Milan Hnilička, it is possible that not all tournaments will be able to follow the rules.

The current situation has not affected every sport in the same way. For example, footballers have so far been allowed to continue to train, but not to use the indoor spaces in the stadiums. Hockey players and many other indoor sports representatives cannot use their halls. That is why some hockey clubs train on an outdoor rink, while other athletes train abroad.