People of all ages will be allowed to take part when community sport resumes in NSW on July 1, Sports Minister Geoff Lee announced.
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Community sport was previously only set to return for children on this date.
"Everybody can play, it's game on for the whole community," Mr Lee said, adding that a taskforce was meeting to finalise social distancing guidelines for players and spectators which would be available later this week.
"What we want to do is make sure people do it safely ... reduce social contact as much as possible."
Some of the guidelines announced are:
- Spectators will not be permitted to gather in stands
- Canteens and other food and drink venues at playing grounds can open for 50 people, in line with the restrictions on pubs and restaurants.
- Contact details of people entering premises will need to be kept
A taskforce is meeting to determine further guidelines, Mr Lee said.
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"The announcement is about a staged re-opening of the sports economy in a way that minimises the risk to the public. This makes a level playing field for sports stadiums, in line with the clubs and pubs re-opening to patrons," Health Minister Brad Hazzard added, explaining the restrictions.
''With no vaccine and no treatment for COVID-19 there is an obligation on all of us to continue to maintain physical distancing and good hand hygiene. The virus has not gone away."
July 1 was previously set as the date for children's community sport to return, however a number of organisations had said they were not financially viable without their adult competition.
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