Luckily we are allowed to play handball matches. However, precautionary measures are taken to keep everybody safe and healthy. The Dutch Handball Federation has published a protocol for match situations. Read our English translation below.
Het protocol vind je hier in het Nederland op de site van het NHV.
Remember the guidelines for the Amstelcampus facility?
PROTOCOL FOR MATCHES (COVID19)
“Use your common sense!” To make sure everybody is following the covid19-rules we are obligated to have a so called ‘corona-coordinator’ during match days.
General rules
• Do you have symptoms? Stay at home, get tested.
• When covid19 symptoms occur during a sport activity, go home immediately.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water.
• Cough and sneeze into your elbow.
• Use paper tissues to blow your nose and discard them after use.
• Do not shake hands.
• Stay 1.5 meters (2 arms lengths) away from other people.
• The amount of people per team (for a match) is maximum 20 and no more than necessary for the sport activity.
The 1.5 meters distance rules
• Are you 18 years or older, than you are obligated to keep 1.5 meters distance from others, except children up to and including 12 year.
• Exception to the 1.5 meters rule: persons who form a joint household.
Arrival at the sports facility
• Do not shake hands!
• Wash and / or disinfect your hands when you enter the sports facility.
• Follow the rules from the sports facility.
• Check the size of the dressing room and make sure that you are able to keep the 1.5 meters distance from each other.
Behavior in the dressing room
• In the dressing room you need to keep the 1.5 meters distance from each other.
• A distance should also be kept while showering.
• When the dressing room is too small to follow the distance rules, it is recommended that the team meeting is held somewhere where there is sufficient space (for example on the playing field).
Entering the playing field and greetings
• The teams enter the playing field in phases.
• Keep as much distance as possible when greeting the opponent. No hands are shaken.
• Both responsible team officials report to the referee(s) for the toss. Also observe the 1.5 meter distance here.
Behavior on the playing field
• It is forbidden to sing or shout in a public space. It is therefore not allowed to:
o Perform a yel or cry of encouragement (when greeting or in a circle with your
team) o Sing a club song. o Celebrate moments of victory. o Give high fives.
Behavior of the public
It is not permitted for the public to be present in the sports accommodation from September 29, 6 p.m.
• It is forbidden to sing or shout in a public space. It is therefore not allowed to:
o Perform a yel or cry of encouragement. o Sing a club song. o Celebrate moments of victory. o Give high fives.
• The public must keep a distance of 1.5 meters from each other. In addition, they must keep a minimum distance of 1.5 meters from the playing field, the substitution area and the benches.
• Follow the guidelines of the sports facility.
Bench and exchange area
• We advise you to keep as much distance as possible on the bench and in the exchange zone.
During the match
• As a referee, it is advisable to ensure a 1.5-meter distance to the players where possible.
• If the 1.5-meter distance prevents normal sports practice, it may be temporarily released.
• It is recommended that athletes do not have physical contact outside the normal and necessary sport-related contact moments, such as on the bench or during a substitution.
• When the ball hits the player's face, we recommend that you continue playing with a new ball or disinfect the ball.
• When a player is injured on the field, we recommend asking remotely how the person is doing. We recommend that you do not help the person to get up, unless this is not otherwise due to the severity of the injury.
• When an official believes that a person is knowingly coughing or spitting at someone, it is considered extremely unsportsmanlike behavior. In accordance with Rule 8: 10a such action must be punished by a disqualification with a written report.
Team time-out
• During the team time-out, players and staff members must keep a distance of 1.5 meters from each other.
• It is not allowed to use a yel or cry of encouragement before the team re-enters the field of play.
Half-time break
• We advise the teams, referees and officials to leave the playing field in phases, in order to be able to keep the 1.5 meters distance. The order would be: the referees, the closest team to the dressing rooms / exit, the farthest team to the dressing rooms / exit, the officials at the match table.
• We recommend, provided that both teams agree, to play the entire match on the same half (this is in deviation from Rule 10: 1). If teams still want to change, we recommend disinfecting the exchange benches before the start of the second half.
After the match
• Do not shake hands while thanking. Keep 1.5 meters apart.
• We advise the teams, referees and officials to leave the field of play in phases, in order to be able to keep the 1.5 meters distance. Keep to the same order as during the rest.
• Wash and / or disinfect your hands after the match and when leaving the accommodation.