TICKETS FOR SPORTING events will enable authorities track close contacts of Covid-19 sufferers, the Minister for Sport has said. 

Jack Chambers, the Minister with responsibility for Sport said that the contact tracing element of the return of largescale sport meetings will enable health authorities track a ticket holder for 28 days. 

Speaking on RTE Radio this morning the Minister said the new guidelines for managing the return of spectators to competitions would enable a return to full stadia.

“If someone unfortunately contracts Covid and tested positive say in the day or two or the week after attending a match for example, the information for every ticket holder around their seats is held for 28 days, in the aftermath of the match.

“And so when the person tests positive and they go through the contact tracing process, the contact tracing teams from the HSE will be able to contact the event organizer and access the information and discover who was sitting around that person,” he said. 

Minister CHambers said that they did not invisage outbreaks as it will initially be low attendances and said that mask wearing will be obligatory. 

The Irish scheme is similar to that adopted by the UK and will include advance communication with attendees, venues operating at reduced capacities, physical distancing, mask wearing and hand hygiene. 

Attendees will be required to abide by a code of conduct and all venues will have a Covid-19 Safety Plan.

There will be 16 pilot sporting events and these will be used to evaluate and review progress to advance additional events and increasing capacity in July and August.

Pilot events include GAA, Camogie and LGFA matches, League of Ireland games, rugby games and other sports like Golf and Athletics.

The Minister added that the code of conduct could evolve as the events take place.