FIBA revamps Restart Guidelines for return to basketball

The second edition (2.0) of FIBA’s Restart Guidelines is now available in English, French and Spanish for National Federations and leagues. The purpose of these guidelines are to offer direction and advice for the restart of basketball activities and competitions.

As basketball activities and competitions are gradually returning around the world and with the situation relating to COVID-19 evolving since the first publication of the Return to Basketball – Restart Guidelines for National Federations, FIBA has compiled a further set of key recommendations to its Restart Guidelines.

The FIBA COVID-19 Medical Advisory Group (MAG) has been regularly reviewing the latest scientific knowledge as well as all the information including know-how, best practices and challenges in the context of the return to basketball, that have been provided by those National Federations and leagues which have resumed their basketball activities and competitions. The World Health Organization (WHO) has revised the first version of the Risk Assessment Tool for sports event organizers to provide an overview of the process for determining the risk of COVID-19 spread. The FIBA MAG has reflected the following updated scientific evidence on both COVID-19 and mass gatherings, as well as the valuable input and feedback from National Federations and leagues:

FIBA Return to Basketball Guidelines 2.0

• Inclusion of the aspect regarding the COVID-19 spread through aerosol; and
• Addition of specific risk mitigation considerations to support professional leagues as well as national competitions in their restarts

Basketball Risk Assessment Tool 2.0

• Inclusion of the aspects regarding the possibility of modification of event delivery format;
• Addition of the Decision Tree; and
• Addition of the Risk Communication tab as communication of the COVID-19 risk to individuals in a mass gathering is considered as important as the other factors for risk assessment

FIBA Secretary General, Andreas Zagklis said: “As the restrictions put in place to slow the spread of COVID-19 continue to change around the world, we have witnessed some of our member federations and their leagues implement a safe and successful return to basketball in the past few months at the national level.

“FIBA considers the well-being as well as the mental and physical health of all involved in our sport to be of paramount importance. We are thankful to the experts from the WHO, the NBA and the National Federations and leagues involved in this important work. In addition to the FIBA Repository of Restart Protocols, made available recently to our members, we hope this second edition of the Restart Guidelines will further assist National Federations and leagues to plan their restarts and, therefore a safe return to basketball and 3×3 basketball competitions.”