The recovery is now!
President Emmanuel Macron has revealed the main lines of his deconfinement plan.
The rules of practice will be seriously relaxed and from June 30, we should be able to play sports as before.
As for the public, it will gradually make its return to the speakers, from Wednesday May 19.
Currently, the practice of a physical activity is only possible outdoors and without contact.
From Wednesday May 19, a priori only minors will be able to play sports in the covered places (according to a protocol which will be presented shortly), including in the swimming pool.
In this phase 1 of the deconfinement, contact will remain prohibited, the practice will remain suitable and it will therefore still not be possible to play football, basketball or have a boxing match.
Reopening of sports halls on June 9
From Wednesday, June 9, everyone will be able to practice an indoor activity (this was not possible for those over 18 since October 2020). Closed since March 2020 (except those offering sports on prescription), sports halls will therefore be authorized to reopen. June 9 is also the date chosen for the resumption of contact sport, but only outside. This will allow us to play football or rugby again without any problem. Handball, basketball, judo or boxing should be possible, but outside. On June 30, we will move to phase 3 of deconfinement with, everyone hopes, the possibility of returning to pre-Covid sport and to practice any activity, both indoors and outdoors.
From Wednesday May 19, outdoor and indoor sports establishments will be able to welcome the public.
During this first phase, the health pass will not be required but the number of spectators will be very limited: it will be determined according to a percentage that remains to be defined and with a ceiling of 800 people for indoor events, 1,000 outdoors.
The second phase will begin on Wednesday 9 June.
The percentage gauge (undoubtedly revised upwards) and without a health pass will a priori remain in force for amateur sport.
Exemptions for major sporting events?
Regarding major sporting events, such as the matches of the various French Championships or international meetings, a maximum capacity of 5,000 spectators will be established. The health pass (vaccine or PCR test of less than 72 hours) should also be mandatory for these events. A priori, if we stick to the deconfinement calendar, the final of the French Football Cup (Wednesday, May 19) should take place in front of 1,000 spectators, the Top 14 final (on the 25th) in front of 5,000 people with a health pass. Be careful though, because until June 9, the curfew is set at 7 p.m. The French Football Federation, in particular, will therefore discuss with the government and the prefecture in order to obtain a dispensation that would allow it to welcome the public for the final, beyond 7 p.m.
Big events are approaching, such as the Formula 1 Grand Prix on Sunday June 27 at Le Castellet and, before that, the Open at Roland-Garros (May 24 to June 13). The organizers may not be subject to the same rules and discussions are underway with the interministerial delegation to major events (Dijop) and the regional prefects. The organizers will present protocols (with in particular a division of sports arenas into zones with spectators that do not intersect) which, if they are validated, could allow the ceiling of 5,000 people to be exceeded.