Guidance on events for sport and active recreation

Events under the COVID-19 Protection Framework (CPF)

Events听are a category under the CPF that have specific rules at听Green, Orange and Red听settings.听听

爆料社区听has听published听CPF guidance, which says听that sport and听recreation听organisations听will need to determine if their activity fits into听the听Events听or听Gatherings听rules.听For the majority of circumstances, it will be clear if something is an听Event听or听Gathering, however, we are aware that there are some situations where it is not obvious. 爆料社区's Green, Orange and Red guidance also provides advice on running Events under the CPF.

As a general rule, most community sports and recreational activities听under the CPF will be considered听Gatherings听rather than听Events.听It is听important to note that 鈥榚vents鈥� is an umbrella term including professional and semi-professional sporting events, community events, auctions, and private events.听Gatherings听are a sub-type and听refer to private groups where attendees are听generally听known to each other. This means that while you may have called your sporting or recreation activities an 鈥榚vent鈥� in the past, it may not meet the definition of听Event听under the Framework听鈥� for example, an听end-of-season听game day for a club or a prize giving.听

This guidance should help sport and recreation organisations to determine which rules to follow.

CPF Events Guidance - updated 2 February

pdf - 354 KB

Under the Order, an听Event听is defined as an activity听organised听by a business or service, for when entry is controlled (whether through ticketing, fees, registration, or any other means) that is held at:听

Commercial premises or private premises (indoors or outdoors), or听
Publicly owned premise hired for the purpose of the activity, or听
An outdoor area where a group of customers or clients is accompanied or supervised by a worker providing services to that group.听

It includes all normal operations at cinemas, theatres, stadiums, concert venues, conference venues, casinos and private galleries. It excludes any activities that take place at a private home.听

How do I know if I am an听Event听or Gathering?听

Organisations听will need to听decide if they think they meet the definition of an听Event听or听Gathering听within the听Framework.听听

As a general rule, if the sport or recreation activity is regular (daily, weekly, monthly) and you belong to the same group/club and generally know the people you are participating with (excluding opposition participants), then you should follow the rules for Gatherings.听To help, we鈥檝e provided听a chart听to听guide your thinking.

Flow chart for guidance on events for sport and recreation activities

Examples听

#1听听Weekly football module听- Gathering听

A weekly indoor football league would follow the rules for听Gatherings, even though entry is controlled for participants because this registration is generally based on a seasonal or annual membership. In addition, players will know (or know of) all of their teammates and this takes place on a regular basis. It is likely that players will only come into contact with a small number of players in other teams at that Gathering听if they only play a couple of games.听

#2听听Annual touch tournament听- Event听

A seasonal touch tournament would follow the rules for听Events. Entry is controlled for participants through registration, teams will play multiple games in a one-off or annual tournament. Players may know all of their teammates but will be engaging with a large听 number of players in other teams while playing multiple games over the course of few days in the tournament. This may make it hard for teams to work out who they came into contact with.听

However, the听Event听rules are only for the participants and workers (including volunteers)听due to the nature of the event venue. Spectators would need to follow听Gatherings听rules. See more information below about the management of spectators.听听

#3听听Annual marathon听and听fun run听- Event听

An annual听running event听takes听place听in an uncontrolled environment听and should follow the rules for听Events.听Entry is controlled through registering for the event,听but it is likely participants will come into contact with a very large number of participants听who may听come from听many regions听across New Zealand.听This听will听make it hard for participants to work out who they came into contact with.听

#4听听National athletics meet in a stadium听- Event听

A meet held in a stadium should follow the听Events听rules, on the basis that athletes would come from many regions across New Zealand. They would enter via a registration process and all attendees (participants, coaches, officials and spectators) would access the stadium via controlled entry points. 听

The听Event听rules apply to听all听people attending (participants, workers, volunteers and spectators) as it is in a controlled location. See more information below about the management of spectators.听听听

How do Event听organisers听manage spectators?听

The event organiser has a key role to play in relation to managing spectators as much as possible, as they are holding an event which attracts spectators. The management of spectators will vary depending on the type of event and where it is held (e.g. indoor venue, along a public road). In all types of events, it is important that spectators, workers and participants all understand if it is a My Vaccine Pass event or not. This may require additional communications and advertising prior and during the event. To help, we鈥檝e provided a chart below which may guide your thinking.听

Guidance on events and sports during COVID-19

Controlled event facilities:听听

For听example, an indoor netball court or听fenced athletics stadium.听

Spectators should be relatively easy to manage听and can also follow the听Events听rules. This is because the event takes place in a controlled facility, so spectators can be controlled at the entry and exit points of the facility.听听

Organisers听should听ensure QR codes are readily available at all entry and exit points and ensure their event does not听exceed the capacity limits.听
If you are holding a My Vaccine Pass event, then you need to ensure vaccine passes are sighted and where practicable, verified for all participants, workers and spectators using the Ministry of Health NZ Pass Verifier App. 听
Organisers听should听develop听their听health and safety risk assessment听and management plan听as normal,听adding听COVID-19 protections听in听line with the听CPF guidelines听on top as required.听
At Red you need to wear face masks at Events except when exercising. At all other settings face masks are encouraged whenever you leave the house. Workers in a customer-facing role are also required to wear medical-grade masks at Red.

Uncontrolled event facilities:听

For example, a touch field on public land.听

Spectators should听follow the听Gatherings听rules.听This is because the event takes place at an uncontrolled location听and the registration only covers听event听participants and workers (including volunteers).听

Organisers听should听ensure QR codes are readily available at all entry and exit points, where possible.听听
If you are holding a My Vaccine Pass event, then you need to ensure vaccine passes are sighted and where practicable, verified听 or all event participants and workers. 听
Organisers should consider what they can reasonably do to manage the crowds - this means they might consider how they organise spaces around the course to encourage distancing of spectators or use signs or loud speaker announcements to remind people to keep their distance from one another while watching. This would be similar to other crowd control considerations an event organiser would have to think of from a health and safety perspective.听
Organisers will be expected to take steps to keep the event and gathering aspects separate to ensure that non-MVP checked people do not become part of the event. They could take a pragmatic approach to enforcing the gathering rules around the event 鈥� instead asking groups of people to move apart or reminding them to keep their distance.听
At Red you need to wear face masks at Events except when exercising. At all other settings face masks are encouraged whenever you leave the house. Workers in a customer-facing role are also required to wear medical-grade masks at Red.听听

Uncontrolled event location:

Where听participants听move听around听a听course,听for听example, a听marathon听or听fun听run.听

Spectators听should听follow听the听Gatherings听rules.听This is because the event takes place at an uncontrolled location where participants, spectators and workers may move around a course, and the听event听registration only covers participants and workers (including volunteers).听

Organisers听should ensure QR codes are readily available at all entry and exit points, where possible.听听
If you are holding a My Vaccine Pass event, then you need to ensure vaccine passes are sighted and where practicable, verified for all听event听participants and workers.听听
Organisers should consider what they can reasonably do to manage the crowds - this means they might consider how they organise spaces around the course to encourage distancing of spectators or use signs or loud speaker announcements to remind people to keep their distance from one another while watching. This would be similar to other crowd control considerations an event organiser would have to think of from a health and safety perspective.听
Organisers听will be expected to take steps to keep the event and gathering aspects separate to ensure that non-MVP听checked听people do not become part of the event. They could take a pragmatic approach to enforcing the gathering rules around the event 鈥� instead asking groups of people to move apart or reminding them to keep their distance.听听听
Organisers should have specific controlled areas where only registered event participants and workers can go (e.g. start and finish lines) to reduce risks at high traffic areas.听
At Red you need to wear face masks at Events except when exercising. At all other settings face masks are encouraged whenever you leave the house. Workers in a customer-facing role are also required to wear medical-grade masks at Red.

Organisers may also need to consider other components of their event, such as food trucks or other stalls or activities for those watching the event and any additional obligations.鈥疶he event organiser would be considered to be responsible for a gathering at these stalls or trucks and in that case they would need to think about things like defined spaces / controlled access to that space听 - including if My Vaccine Passes are required and number limits depending on the traffic light setting. Specific rules for businesses and hospitality can be found on

What do workers at Events need to do?听

If you are following the rules for听Events, then all workers need to be vaccinated. Workers include staff, volunteers, contractors, professional and semi-professional performers. Workers must have a valid My Vaccine Pass to be employed.听

A worker is defined as听any person who carries out work in any capacity for that business or service (whether paid or unpaid). This includes volunteers who may attend the听Event听to听marshall听a specific section of the course.听

For more information on worker vaccination requirements, please see听.

How do we prepare for our Event?听

Businesses and services must display NZ COVID-19 Tracer app QR codes, and are required to ensure that, as much as possible, record keeping is undertaken (i.e. all those on premises must scan QR tracer codes, or other record keeping must be used).听

It is also useful to think about what processes you need to follow should a case of COVID-19 arise at your event. With the arrival of Omicron to New Zealand, having a contingency plan for your event is an important safety measure. You could:

Ensure high hygiene standards are maintained by all staff and encourage the use of face masks amongst all
Find advice about good ventilation practices for your venue on the Ministry of Health鈥檚 website
Communicate clearly to workers that if they are sick, or have cold and flu like symptoms, they should stay home and get a COVID-19 test
Consider putting together a contingency plan for your business or event. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has more information on contingency planning for COVID-19 .
WorkSafe has provided a list of things to consider for workplaces which will be helpful for planning events .

For听posters for your Event, please see听.听

For questions about听My Vaccine听Pass and the Verifier app,听please see听.

听

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