Fiba updates restart guidelines with virus still at large

FILE – A picture taken on April 24, 2020 in Mies, shows a board at the entrance of the International Basketball Federation FIBA, as Switzerland remains in lockdown during the COVID-19 outbreak, caused by the novel coronavirus. Short-time working, drawdowns from reserves, bank loans or call for help to the Intenational Olympic Committee, the hitherto prosperous international sports federations are suffering from the cancellation or postponement of their events caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which deprives them of income. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — Fiba, basketball’s international governing body, revamped its guidelines for national federations, who are hoping to return to activity amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is the second edition of Fiba’s guidelines after it released its first set on March 25.

The latest guidelines feature Fiba COVID-19 Medical Advisory Group’s (MAG) recommendation, in accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO), that national federations should consider the virus airborne or can be spread through aerosol.

Fiba recommends that if national federations push through with public gatherings for games, then strict social distancing shall still be imposed and that venue personnel will have to undergo staff training.

There should also be an assessment of the venue ventilation to determine attendee and spectator level safety while audience members who exhibit fever or acute viral illness shall be denied entry.

National federations are also recommended to have “experienced medical personnel” who will contribute to the planning stages if games will be resumed.

Players and team officials will also be put under surveillance to make sure that they’re at their optimum health level.

Teams are also required to have an isolation room if a player or any of its personnel exhibit symptoms during an event or while they are traveling.

Another Fiba recommendation is that leagues and national federations should give their teams three to six weeks of training period before the competition restart.

“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,” said Fiba Secretary General, Andreas Zagklis.

One league that has successfully resumed its operations is the NBA which made a deal with Walt Disney World Resort in Florida to have its bubble there for the restart.

Players, team officials, league personnel, and media are all housed in several hotels inside the Orlando resort wherein no positive COVID-19 case has been recorded.

“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,” said Zagklis.