The continuing escalation of the Corona virus situation is really beginning to have significant effects on NZ swimmers, particularly those based overseas, with the real potential that their opportunities to race for selection onto NZ teams is in jeopardy.

As a result of the most recent actions taken by sporting bodies in the USA (NCAA and USA Swimming), Swimming New Zealand is allowing any swimmer affected by those actions to enter the NZ Open Championship and declare that meet as their selection meet, rather than their original choice. If you decide you wish to do this, you should contact SNZ over the coming days.

Any athlete travelling back to NZ for the NZ Opens will be subject to the same Government imposed quarantine restrictions as any other NZ citizen. As we know, these restrictions are being updated and changing every day, so all athletes should keep abreast of the current situation. If quarantine restrictions are put in place that affect any individual then SNZ would expect that individual(s) to adhere to those restrictions. Individuals who feel that they are likely to become subject to such restrictions should look at the possibilities of travelling back to NZ at their earliest convenience.

The latest advice from High Performance Sport NZ regarding Coronavirus can be accessed through the following link. The current NZ Government travel restrictions can be found on this page.

https://hpsnz.org.nz/about…/news-media/coronavirus-update-2/

SNZ strongly urges everyone to follow the recommended advice regarding hygiene :

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathrooms, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser with at least 60% alcohol. (HPSNZ utilises ‘Zoono’)
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Avoid animals (alive or dead), animal markets, and products that come from animals (such as uncooked meat).

SNZ will post updates should the current situation change on all our media and social media platforms.