Coronavirus: What Sports Can I Play During Lockdown In New Guidelines?

11 May 2020, 12:40

Boris Johnson has announced new lockdown rules, one of which permits you to have ‘unlimited exercise’ and ‘play sports’ with those you live with, but what sports can I play?

Prime Minister Boris Johnson addressed the nation on Sunday, where he announced some changes to lockdown measures and revealed new rules regarding sports and exercise.

Prior to the new lockdown rules, the British public were only permitted to do one round of outdoor exercise per day, for around an hour.

But from Wednesday there will now be more relaxed guidelines in place which allows ‘unlimited exercise’.

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The Prime Minister said: "We want to encourage more and even unlimited amounts of outdoor exercise.”

"You can sit in the sun in your local park, you can drive to other destinations, you can even play sports but only with members of your own households,” which he added alongside reiterating that social distancing measures must remain in place.

So, which sports can I play in lockdown?

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What sports can I play during lockdown?

Golf, tennis and fishing are among the sports most likely to be made available to play from Wednesday onwards.

With more instruction to follow tonight, May 11th, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Oliver Dowden has explained which activities are likely to fall under the new permitted guidelines.

He wrote on Twitter: "In recent weeks, our daily exercise has been so important to our health & wellbeing.

"Now in tentative steps fwd, & in the least risky outdoor environments, we can imminently allow some sports activity like golf, basketball, tennis, fishing - solo/in households. Guidance to follow [sic].”

Secretary of State Dominic Raab also gave some insight about which sports can be played after speaking to BBC Breakfast this morning, saying that he doesn’t think football is likely to make the list.

He said: "No, I don’t think so because you can’t stay two metres apart.

“So, we do want people to play more sport and let me give you one example of something you can do.

“Two people from the same home could go and play tennis, because that’s something where they could stay two metres apart from everyone else.

“What you couldn’t then do, and this is why we say you’ve got to stay alert, you couldn’t then go into the clubhouse and mill around where you will be within two metres of other people.

“So, football would be one of those where I think would be very difficult to stay two metres apart if you’re playing, you know, 11-a-side or even five-a-side.”

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