Health official says team sports unlikely to be allowed for another 6 months

The deputy director-general of the Health Ministry said Sunday he believes that group sports that involve physical contact will not be permitted for at least another six months, seemingly dooming professional sports leagues to an extended hiatus.

“I don’t think any significant change should be counted on,” Itamar Grotto told the Knesset’s Special Committee on Dealing With the Coronavirus.

He also said that if there is no fresh COVID-19 outbreak in the next two weeks following the new eased restrictions, individuals could be permitted to run or do other forms of exercise by themselves at a greater distance from their homes. “Two weeks is the minimum,” Grotto said.

Yesh Atid MK Ofer Shelah, who heads the Knesset committee, responded to the statement saying that preventing the public from exercising was damaging and that the decision-making process of the government on the matter was unsound.

“Sports is the centerpiece of a healthy society at all times, and more so in times of an epidemic. But the treatment of popular and professional sports in Israel is fraught with all the ills of the management of the coronavirus crisis in general: arbitrary and illogical decisions [and] unnecessarily sweeping bans.

“Meanwhile, children and adults are gaining weight and losing health, and athletes are seeing their entire careers lost.”

Public health physicians and environmental advocates issued a joint call last week to remove restrictions on going out into nature and open spaces as soon as possible, saying this was “essential for the well-being of body and mind and an inseparable part of building our national strength.”

The Israel Association of Public Health Officials (IAPHO) and the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) said in a letter to the prime minister and the health and education ministers that the health benefits of spending time outdoors in nature or in parks was proven, and was of even greater importance in light of the long period during which Israelis have been in lockdown at home.

Earlier Sunday, the government extended the range Israelis could go on walks or runs to 500 meters from their homes, up from 100. Up to two people could engage in activity, but only in fixed pairs or with people from the same household.

Beaches, parks, playgrounds and municipal sports areas are closed and gyms remain shuttered.

In the early hours of Sunday morning the cabinet approved the rolling back of some restrictions on economic and leisure activities.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday evening announced the removal of restrictions on industries, commerce and personal freedoms starting Sunday, as part of what he said was a careful and gradual process.

Channel 12 news reported Saturday that some cabinet ministers were opposed to limiting the new 500-meter personal zone to sports activities alone. It added that police officials had expressed concerns they would have difficulty differentiating between those engaged in authorized sports activities and other unauthorized activities.

Channel 12 news reported Friday that the new easing of restrictions was more far-reaching than Netanyahu and Health Ministry director Moshe Bar Siman-Tov had intended, due to pressure from the Finance Ministry and other ministers.

The report said Netanyahu favored keeping the existing harsh restrictions in place until after Israel celebrates Independence Day on April 29, but ultimately agreed to ease restrictions.

Statistics on the rate of new cases and the number of people on ventilators have been deemed relatively encouraging in recent days. Israel’s death toll stood at 171 on Sunday afternoon, with 109 people on ventilators.