[UPDATED] Deyalsingh gives tennis green light

THE Tennis Association of TT (TATT) president Hayden Mitchell said the association is open to welcoming people to the sport of tennis. It is expected to be a new option of physical activity for some as tennis has been permitted to proceed during the covid19 pandemic.

Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh attempted to clarify what sports are allowed during the current covid19 regulations.

At a covid19 media briefing on Saturday, Deyalsingh said, “We did say contact sports, contact team sports (such as) football, cricket, basketball, netball (and) so on (are not allowed). We want to discourage that and I think the regulations speak to that. We did make some exceptions because people were asking us.”

The health minister gave the example of one sport that is permitted.

“For example the president of the Tennis Association (of TT Hayden Mitchell)…he met with me on Tuesday and he asked me to clarify the position on things like lawn tennis and so on, where those clubs could stay open for instance in Nelson Mandela Park (St Clair), so we did do that clarification.”

Mitchell, in an interview with Newsday following Deyalsingh’s comments, said plans are in place to get players back on the court. “Our first thing really is to make sure the athletes train properly and also for the recreational players to be consistently able to play.”

With several sports on the sideline, people may be willing to try their skills in tennis.

Mitchell said TATT is being flooded with requests. “Actually there has been an upsurge in people requesting…our website has all the national coaches and the clubs so they could either get in contact with a national coach or a club. Now is a good time to pick up a sport like tennis, probably like golf that are non contact sports because you still get the exercise.”

Sporting officials were left confused after a health ministry release, on Thursday.

The release said, “The Minister of Health has granted an exemption to clubs which operate to support sporting activities, save and except, that such sporting activities are group contact sports and/or team sports.

“This exemption permits clubs which support sporting activities, which are not group contact sports and/or team sports, to operate. These clubs and their members must operate in accordance with the remainder of the regulations.”

The release did not name the sports that are allowed.

Gatherings of five or less are allowed according to the current measures.

On Friday, a Ministry of Sport and Community Development release explained the process that national sporting organisations must take to get an exemption.

“Sporting clubs wishing to utilise facilities under the Ministry of Sport and Community Development, are advised to first get clearance of their club’s covid19 plans, from the County Medical Office. These plans must clearly state, how the club proposes to function in accordance to guidelines specified by the Ministry of Health.”

TT was scheduled to host four tournaments in 2020 sanctioned by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), but because of covid19 those tournaments will be played in 2021.

However, local tournaments will be held. Mitchell said players have to remain fit because “early next year even though there is going to have covid restrictions they are going to have regional tournaments.”

Discussing when the first tournament will serve off, Mitchell said, “I would say within a month because it is really just to work out all the covid19 guidelines and make sure you have a specific person who manages that…clubs have reached out to us. One of the things we want to have is a junior club tournament which is more of a fun tournament just to get them back active and then we will go back into tournaments for points.”

The TATT president, who said the safety of the players is priority, has made a request to the Mayor of Port of Spain Joel Martinez to get permission to use the Eddie Taylor Public Courts at Nelson Mandela Park in St Clair. Mitchell is hoping that the tennis association will get some positive news from the mayor after Deyalsingh’s comment.

The National Racquet Centre in Tacarigua is unavailable for tennis as it is currently being used as a step down facility for covid19.

Mitchell said courses have been held online during the pandemic by the ITF, keeping national coaches busy.

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

MINISTER of Health Terrence Deyalsingh attempted to clarify what sports are allowed during the current covid19 regulations.

On Thursday, a Ministry of Health release left sporting organisations confused concerning what sports were allowed.

At the covid19 media briefing on Saturday, Deyalsingh said, “We did say contact sports, contact team sports (such as) football, cricket, basketball, netball (and) so on (are not allowed). We want to discourage that and I think the regulations speak to that. We did make some exceptions because people were asking us.”

The health minister gave the example of one sport that is permitted.

“For example the president of the Tennis Association (Hayden Mitchell)…he met with me on Tuesday and he asked me to clarify the position on things like lawn tennis and so on, where those clubs could stay open for instance in Nelson Mandela Park (St Clair), so we did do that clarification.”