Return to Athletics Announcement

Athletics Australia has released its Return to Athletics Guidelines to support our participants, members and our state and territory member organisations in bringing a safe return to community activity.

In line with the AIS Framework for Rebooting Sport and the National Guidelines for the Resumption of Sport & Recreational Activity, these guidelines provide a minimum baseline of standards for the national resumption of Athletics activity.

Our Member Associations are responsible for the setting of Return to Athletics standards within each State & Territory.

While there are now several resources to support the return to sport, due to the differing levels of restrictions imposed by each Government, any decision-making around the resumption of state and club training rests within the State and Territory jurisdictions.

This acknowledges the considerable variation in restrictions and return to activity at a local level.

The guidelines, which focus on a return to training, have been developed in consultation with Member Associations and medical advisors. They aim to provide the Athletics community with clarity about how best to create a safe training environment depending on the differing levels of restrictions imposed by state and federal governments.

At this time, the Return to Athletics Guidelines does not provide for a resumption of athletics competitions and events. Decision-making around the resumption of state and club competitions rests with the state sporting organisations.  

We will continue to work with our state Member Associations, government and health officials to develop similar national baseline standards for event & competition operations.

Please obtain all state and territory information relating to your Return to Athletics via your Member Association website.

The principles of the Return to Athletics Guidelines are grouped into 4 categories:

1. Participants - athletes
2. Parents & Carers
3. Coaches & Run leaders
4. High Performance 

For all information relating to local Return to Sport information please visit https://www.athletics.com.au/info-hub/covid-19/ and check the corresponding state Athletics organisation website for state-specific information.