Sport Wales have mandated that all NGBs should have a named Coronavirus Medical Officer.  Welsh Fencing is therefore seeking volunteers to fulfil this role.

The role is to maintain familiarity with the emerging evidence related to post-Coronavirus pathology, and the individual will be expected to:

• Lead on ensuring any suspected or confirmed Coronavirus cases are managed in line with the sport’s Coronavirus case management protocols and current government guidance;
• Have medical oversight of the return to training of any athletes that had suspected or confirmed cases of Coronavirus; and
• Support the NGB’s Coronavirus officer with any medical aspects of the risk assessment and mitigation process, and similarly advise the Coronavirus officers appointed by any club or facility falling under the remit of that NGB.

We do not see this as an onerous role, but are keen to ensure the role is filled with someone with the appropriate medical experience.  If you are interested in fulfilling this role, please contact Matt Russell (matthew.russell@fencing.cymru), with a brief outline of your medical experience.

We are pleased to announce that we are further able to lift restrictions, in line with England Fencing.

• Fleching (and similar actions, such as flunging & close-quarters work) within sparring and lessons is permitted subject to a safety risk assessment to be performed by the BF registered coach to ensure that there is sufficient surrounding space around each sparring pair for the move to be executed safely.  Provided an overall Risk Assessment has already been submitted, a further update to the RA to reflect this change will not be required.  We are satisfied that a Coach will use their judgement to assess the safety, on a case by case basis.
• Corps a corps and any actions that result in body contact are still not permitted.

The following roadmap indicates how the Welsh Government advice can be interpreted to permit the return to fencing.

Please note:

• This is subject to the Welsh Government guidelines and may change
• Any activities must be fully risk assessed and the risk assessment sent to Welsh Fencing prior to any new activities commencing
• At all stages, an opt-in system for activities requiring a less than 2m distance should be in place. Fencers or coaches should not be placed under any pressure or obligation to perform any activity less than 2m apart.

Update - 12 May

• From 17 May 2021: The limit on organised outdoor activities increased to 50 people
• From 17 May 2021: The limit on organised indoor activities increased to 30 people