Return to Play Protocols

Updated 18/06/2021

AFL Victoria have released their current version of Return to Play Protocols (attached).

Key Points to note:

• Open for all ages, training and competition
• Limited to minimum number of people required to participate in and facilitate the activity (i.e. players, coaches, officials) and must be within venue limits above for indoor sports and outdoor sports are limited to 1,000 people per venue
• Spectators not allowed (excludes people necessary for events such as teachers, instructors, trainers, coaches, umpires, carers, parents and guardians)
• Change rooms are permitted to be open however the total number of people permitted in all indoor spaces at the facility combined at any time does not exceed the indoor venue cap of 50 (with infants under one year of age not counting towards this limit)
• Get in and Get out approach to playing and training
• Canteens/kiosks are permitted to be open and must abide by density quotients and total number of people permitted in an indoor space
• No spectators on grounds during breaks or after the match

This is the current version of AFL Victoria’s Return to Play Protocols. They may well change as matters develop but please take some time to review the protocols and take those steps necessary to comply.

Some recent developments (24/06/2020) include:

• Full-contact training and full-contact competitions may resume for players (aged 18 years and under) without any limit on the number of participants, although gathering rules apply to spectators.
• For players 18 years and under, groups of 20 are no longer relevant and full squads can train together.

• Spectators for training and competitions must abide by public gathering restrictions. This means that spectators should be in groups of no more than 10 people in open, outdoor venues and spread out around the ground or venue. Spectators must keep 1.5 meters apart.
• Gathering limits will not apply to participants and those reasonably necessary to conduct the training or competition (e.g. umpires, coaches).

• These are rules that everyone needs to follow and override anything sent out previously.

• The Protocols have been prepared by the AFL, and are recognised as a set of minimum standards to follow.