Athletics South Africa has suspended all its activities including the school championships for two weeks due to the worsening health situation caused by the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic.
The Federation had hoped that resumption of all normal 2021 event calendar by now had been possible but unfortunately the country now deals with with high infection rate.
To combat the situation, the national government has put the whole country on the adducted a level 3 measures of the national disaster act as announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa On 11 January 2021. The major concern is that the new COVID-19 strain seems to be more rampant than the initial one in the first wave and thaws is affecting a large number of young people President Ramaphosa describes the state of the pandemic in south Africa has now been at its most devastating.
We cannot ignore the situation The ASA said; “that we find ourselves in as a nation highlighted by the wuss in infection and increasing death rates. It is, therefore, in the interest of saving lives that SA is now suspending all athletics events for the next two weeks”.
ASA Will review this decision after seventh of February 2021 in line with government pronouncements and in continued consultation with medical experts and relevance government departments.
Training is permitted on the ASA safety protocols as already pronounced but attention is drawn to the state presidents declaration that-given the risk of widespread transmission, most indoor and outdoor gatherings will not be permitted this includes social gatherings, religious gatherings, political events, traditional council meetings and gatherings at sports grounds.
The decision affects the ASA cross country trials which was scheduled for Potchefstroom this weekend on Saturday 23 January 2021 which are now also postponed indefinitely. The new dates will be determined and announced in due course.
The decision affects all forms of sports including all university sports events
The federation hopes the situation will improve soon for us to resume all full calendar after the two weeks