Kia Ora
On 23 January this year, New Zealand moved into Red under the traffic light settings – in response to the growing threat of Omicron – and already we’ve seen the massive impact that this has had on the community.
This impact has also been felt across the wider basketball community, with events including the NZ Māori Basketball Nationals, Schick 3X3 Cup and others being cancelled due to the risks that Covid presented to these activities.
With regards to the Schick 3X3 Cup, our decision to cancel was not made lightly; it followed a lengthy risk assessment process after which BBNZ concluded that the risk of participants potentially contracting – and spreading – Covid was too great for the event to safely continue.
In particular, we weighed up these key risks:
- Sending 150 players and staff to Invercargill for a three-day event, and the risk of any of those participants contracting Covid either before, in transit to or during the event
- In the event of a participant contracting Covid at the event, the ability for it to rapidly spread amongst players and staff – who would all then be forced to isolate in Invercargill for a two-week period
- The disruption that any positive Covid case would cause to the event scheduling, if teams were unable to put enough players onto the court
- The possibility of the Schick 3X3 Cup acting as a super-spreader event if a participant tested positive for Covid, and the risk posed to people in the Southland region.
As an organisation, we have to do what’s best for the players, teams and staff, as well as the spectators and fans. And while a decision like this is disappointing, we believe it is the right one for everyone involved.
We want basketball activities to be safely operating in this country, and the Government and Sport NZ has laid out the groundwork for the majority of sport to continue under this Red setting. But at the same time, we also have a responsibility to our players, staff and the wider community to operate safely and at minimal risk to everyone involved.
This is the ethos that BBNZ will continue to operate on over the coming months. It is also the basis on which we’ll continue to provide timely, advice support and guidance to member associations; we’re here to help and we welcome your queries.
BBNZ Position on Vaccine Pass System and Mask Wearing
As detailed in our last Community Update, BBNZ has made the decision to operate all our events under the Vaccine Pass System – this includes our Leagues, tournaments, conferences, camps and other basketball activities. This is based on advice received that while New Zealand is under the traffic light system, operating under the vaccine pass system offers the most flexibility with less restrictions.
We have also passed this recommendation onto our member organisations. That said, it is up to you to read through the advice and decide how best to apply it to your situation.
BBNZ will also be following best practice Government guidelines around mask wearing (see: https://bit.ly/3KV1Hue), and thus will mandate that all BBNZ staff wear N95 masks or equivalent – including the N95, KN95 or P2 equivalent masks – for its upcoming events. This is based in part on direct advice from medical experts, as well as scientific evidence regarding the effectiveness of this type of mask – see: https://nz.basketball/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Masks.jpg
Again, we also encourage all member organisations to utilise N95, KN95 or P2 masks where they can; when worn correctly, they are demonstrated to provide a much higher level of protection than a cloth or surgical mask.
Looking Ahead
We believe basketball activities can safely continue in a regional setting, as long as the risks are properly mitigated and that people’s health and safety are always put first. So it’s up to all of us to work out ways in which basketball can continue operating in the community – from grassroots right up to the professional level.
What we don’t know is how long Aotearoa will remain under the Red setting, and what changes may be made to these setting in the future – or what the Covid landscape will continue to look like both domestically and overseas. So the need to remain flexible and adaptable in this environment is key.
We believe the best course of action for now, is to continue to assess each of our upcoming basketball events on a case-by-case basis.
Here’s where we are at, regarding our domestic basketball activities over the next few months:
- YouthTown 3X3 Quest Tour – after the successful running of this Tour in Wellington on Saturday as an outdoor event under the Red setting, BBNZ will now run its next three events – Christchurch on 12 Feb, Dunedin on 20 Feb and Auckland North on 26 Feb – as indoor events. This decision allows us to better manage risk at these events, as we have greater control over who enters and exits an indoor venue using a Vaccine Pass system.
- 3X3 Senior National Team trials – both the New Zealand men’s and women’s 3X3 national teams have received an invitation to compete at the 2022 FIBA World Cup qualifier at the end of Mar in Doha, Qatar. The National team trials will serve a dual purpose; selection for the World Cup Qualifying tournament and to assist with preparation for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. The National team camp is scheduled to be held in Auckland from the 5- 7 Feb. These camps will be held in isolated groups – one for the men’s and one for women’s – with appropriate measures in place to protect all participants from risk.
- 3X3 NZ Secondary Schools Nationals – this event is on track to be held in Auckland from 30 Mar – 2 Apr. As part of this, the board of School Sport NZ has confirmed that all School Sport NZ sanctioned events on the 2022 calendar will be restricted to fully vaccinated participants, aged 12 and over, only. The mandate also extends to spectators attending. This mandate will be reviewed against all further applicable Government updates, particularly those issued by Sport New Zealand and the Ministry of Education. Due to the number of participants involved, BBNZ is currently working on draw options that would allow this event to continue in a safe environment for all.
- Sal’s NBL – again, we fully intend the Sal’s NBL season will proceed on schedule and (potentially) within a restricted setting, utilising a Vaccine Pass system and other measures as per Government advice. The Leagues is currently preparing a Covid strategy plan which represents best practice operating procedures for all games in the current Covid environment, which it will release to NBL teams for review in due course.
Support for Member Associations
We know that member associations will be evaluating their current and future basketball activities under the Red setting; including what changes they need to make to ensure their event/activity meets the Government guidelines, and if their activity can – and should – still be proceeding.
As always, Sport NZ has available some practical resources to assist with this, including the following:
- Sport Sector Guidance – There are a number of guidance documents for play, active recreation and sport organisations available on Sport NZ’s website. This includes full guidance for each traffic light setting, and specific guidance on My Vaccine Pass, and guidance for events under the new framework. Key links below:
- Framework table at-a-glance
- Red setting – full guidance
- Events guidance
- Workplace Guidance – This link is useful for businesses and organisations seeking to minimise the impact of Omicron in the workplace.
- If you have any specific queries, reach out to Sport NZ directly at Covid19response@sportnz.org.nz
- BBNZ are also here to help work with you through your Covid queries in relation to running events and gatherings; please contact us at community@nz.basketball (Please put ‘COVID’ in the subject line).
Thank You
In summary, thank you to all the member associations for your hard work as we all strive to continue to operate and provide safe and enjoyable basketball opportunities. We recognise and appreciate the time and effort you each put into making basketball happen in your region, and the challenges you are all facing due to Covid.
Ngā mihi
Dillon Boucher
BBNZ Chief Executive
